Pandemonium, lamentation and commotion became the order of the day in the sleepy town of Omute Omuanwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, when an energetic, hard working, diligent young man, Mr. Loveday Wobunezi Ejiowhor, popularly known as Wobu, a commercial motorcycle (Okada) rider was illegally arrested by a gang of soldiers and Ubima vigilante group.
The incident occurred at the boundary between Omuanwa and Ubima road, the home of Governor Chibuike Amaechi.
It was gathered that the soldiers and Ubima vigilante group were searching to rescue a woman who was kidnapped by some hoodlums at Choba, in Obio/Akpor local government area, hidding her in a bush at a boundary between Omuanwa and Ubima town in Ikwerre LGA.
According to the source on that fateful, Sunday, October 2, 2011,Mr. Wobu went to the farm with a lady named Adanma Amakiri, a labourer who would work for him in his farm. Unknown to him, his farm was close to the area where the woman who was kidnapped at Choba was dumped by the hoodlums.
After the soldiers and Ubima vigilante group have rescued the woman they went in search of the kidnappers who took to their heels on noticing the presence of the soldiers.
Coincidentally, Wobu who was coming back with the labourer after showing her the portion of the work to do, ran into the hands of the soldiers and the vigilante.
One of the vigilante boys pointed gun at him and he was arrested by the soldiers who also arrested others and were taken to Army Barracks, Elele, Ikwerre LGA, as suspects.
Narrating his story when his father, Mr. Livinus Ejiowhor, his brother, Mr. Morrison Ejiowhor and a journalist visited him at the Army Barracks Elele on the fourth day of his arrest, Wobu who lamented over his illegal arrest, explained that he went to his farm with the lady to show her a portion of job she would work for him, and was coming back with her after showing her what to do one of the vigilante pointed a gun at him and was arrested by the soldiers. He tried to explain but they would not listen to him and dumped him and others in their cell.
In a chat with the Political Editor of The Newswriter who went to investigate Wobu’s arrest at the Army Barracks, Elele, the officer in charge of the matter, Mr. Emmanuel, who hails from Rumuji in Emuoha LGA, noted that Mr. Wobu was proved innocent and that there was no concrete evidence against him. He added that they were waiting for Mr. Chijemezu Welendu Amadi the chairman of Ikwerre LGA for his direction to release him.
Wobu has accordingly been discharged and acquitted on the direction of the Kelga chairman on the fact that there was no concrete evidence against him. ### Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
