By Ononye VC
Calls for prosecution of revenue agents and policemen,who allegedly brutalised and broke the spinal cord of the incumbent laity chairman of Basilica Parish,Onitsha and one time President of Onitsha Chamber of Commerce,Mr Okey Akaneme recently, has deepened.
In a statement in Onitsha on Wednesday,the Executive Chairman of Justice, Development,Peace and Caritas,(JDPC), Archdiocese of Onitsha,Rev Fr Dr Edwin Udoye called on the Anambra State Government to ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet and the perpetrators brought to justice.
According to Fr Udoye,the JDPC was monitoring developments concerning the matter and expressed hope that the Anambra state government was doing the needful to bring the culprits to book.
He frowned at the incessant brutalization of citizens by revenue touts and contractors who operate under official government cover to dehumanize citizens adding that government did not send anyone to kill or maim but the recklessness and brutal nature of the operatives who may not have been trained in revenue collection.
Also in a media briefing same day(Wednesday),members of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce,Industry,Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA),condemned the action of the revenue agents and expressed regrets that in-spite of collaborative efforts between the Chamber,the state government and the police to douse the tension generated by the incident for which their former President,Mr Okey Akaneme was brutalize,the culprits who committed the dastardly act were still walking about freely.
President of ONICCIMA,Sir Augustine Ibeme who chaired the briefing,requested for immediate prosecution of the officials as it will in the minimum serve as a deterrent to other contractors and government agencies.
The Chamber urged the Anambra State Government to arrange for immediate release of funds as according to him,the “latest information reveals further deterioration of Mr Akaneme’s health while more bills are mounting”.
The Chamber also requested for an urgent decision to transfer Mr Akaneme to a better facility as recommended by medical experts.
“In view of Governor Soludo administration’s compelling desire to increase the Ease of Doing Business in the state, government must eradicate the recurring incidences of officials acting beyond their mandate,as well as illegal operations by some revenue agents”the Chamber stated.
The Chamber thanked all stakeholders,the media,organized private sector and others who have showed concern about the plight of Mr Akaneme and also called for more support.
Other members of the ONICCIMA who lent their weight to the President’s remarks condemning the incident include,Mr Chinedu Nwonu,the Director General Mr Stanley Anyadufu,Mr Okey Anene among others.
It would be recalled that Mr Akaneme was also the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Onitsha Federated Chapter.
