RE: EGBELU OBUBE COMMUNITY CALLS For CHIEF ALBERT AHANONU’S ARREST, PROSECUTION

OUR RIGHT OF REPLY.

My attention and that of the good and well-meaning people of Umuchoko village of Egbelu Obube community, Owerri-North L.G.A., Imo State, have been drawn to a publication of 7th November, 2025, wherein some faceless persons purporting to be the entire Egbelu Obube community is calling for the arrest and prosecution of Hon Chief Albert Ahanonu.

Firstly, may I state that Egbelu Obube community comprises of several villages with notable and identifiable persons therein and so one begins to wonder how and why such publication was made by a faceless and nameless individual or group of persons masquerading as the Egbelu Obube community. For the avoidance of doubt, Egbelu Obube is not a natural person.

Secondly, while I endeavor to restrain myself from making comments on matters pending before the courts, I must categorically state that in the last 5 years, there has been dispute between Hon Chief Albert Ahanonu and some persons within the Egbelu Obube community over a piece or parcel of Land known as and called “Okeohia Okwunwata” and which said dispute culminated into several cases, both civil and criminal, currently pending in court. Whether the allegations in these criminal cases are bogus, trumped up, concocted and fabricated or not, is not the essence of this piece.

It is worth noting that Hon Chief Albert Ahanonu resides with his family in the USA and so been in the last 32 years and therefore cannot be said to be in hiding contrary to the malicious narrative perpetrated by this/these faceless individual(s) who will stop at nothing to persecute Hon Chief Ahanonu as they have done in the past and continues to do by the series and unending criminal allegations leveled and is being leveled against him.

Thirdly, the assertion by these faceless person(s) that Hon Chief Ahanonu has been “implicated in ongoing legal disputes with community members, facing allegations of threats to life, attempted murder, kidnapping, recruitment of youths into cult groups, illegal possession of firearms, and indiscriminate use of guns” over a matter pending in court is a distortion of facts which is highly condemnable and also betrays their true intent being one of malice, vexation, embarrassment and ill will.

Lastly, it is our position that the publication made on the 7th day of November, 2025 in the National News Break Newspaper is not only false, contrived and concocted but a deliberate attempt to impugn the integrity of Hon Chief Albert Ahanonu. The general public is therefore urged to disregard same in its entirety as steps are underway to uncover the faces behind the publication for necessary legal action.

Signed….

Chief Ikegwuruka Chukwubuikem, For the good and well-meaning people of Umuchoko