Amawbia residents protest community crisis

Some residents of the Amawbia community in the Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State have staged a peaceful protest over what they described as multiple crises that have created disunity in their town.

The protesters, numbering about 400, barricaded the entrance of the State Government House along the Enugu-Onitsha Highway in Awka.

They held placards with various inscriptions such as “Current Amawbia Town Union (ATU) corrupt,” “We don’t want trouble in Amawbia,” “The election will bring trouble; we want peace in Amawbia,” and “We want support from Governor Soludo to create a better Amawbia.”

Other placards read “Give us a fresh electoral committee” and “We want an election with a new electoral committee.”

The protesters chanted solidarity songs and called on Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to urgently address the crisis currently affecting their community.

According to the protesters, key issues disrupting peace in the community include the illegal sale of community lands by land grabbers, the inability to elect a traditional ruler, disputes over leadership, and ongoing factional crises.

The spokesman for the group, Mr. Emma Okafor, appealed to Governor Soludo to establish a committee to investigate these issues that have been fuelling unrest in the community.

“The purpose of this protest is to draw the state’s attention to what Amawbia is currently enduring under the leadership of the town’s president general,” Okafor said. “We are asking the governor to cancel the upcoming President General election on December 30, 2024, as the community cannot afford to conduct it amidst this crisis.”

Okafor further explained, “Four out of the six contestants in the election have no confidence in the electoral committee, and the entire process should be canceled.

“Our community is being overtaken by land grabbers backed by those who do not want peace. We want peace and unity. The government should set up a committee to investigate these matters.”

In response to the protest, government officials at the Government House received the protesters’ letter and assured them that the governor would address their concerns promptly. They also urged the protesters to maintain peace as the government works on resolving the issues to avoid a breakdown of law and order.