Police in Ebonyi Grills Oil Marketer over Alleged Armed Attack on Clergyman

By Towncriernews 

An independent oil marketer, Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe is being currently interrogated by the crack squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command, Abakaliki over his alleged complicity in a case of conspiracy and armed robbery attack on a Presbyterian clergyman.

A petition addressed to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police by one Rev. Bright Igwe, moderator of Ohaozara Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria made available to our Correspondent, alleged that on the 13th day of November, 2024, the clergyman was on a commercial cycle popularly called Okada while on his way to Xmmy Sports Hotel, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State along Amagu road, when the accused driving in his Lexus Jeep accosted him with a pump action rifle with three other boys.

Reverend Igwe explained that the four men battered him severely and kicked him into the drainage inflicting bruises all over his body.

According to the clergyman, Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe who is the owner of Sunoc Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited on seeing passersby who rushed for his rescue boasted to kill him with his pump action.

His words: “During their attack on me, I lost the sum of N200,000 only, my Infinix note 40 Pro Max valued at N400,000 was damaged. My clothes torn as I was stacked naked on the road.

“Olu, popularly known as Yaradua after pummeling me to a near unconsciousness forcefully took me to the Ivo Division of the State Police Command where I was further subjected by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to inhuman torment and compelled to comply with the demands of the independent oil marketer, Yaradua or stand being detained at the local divisional police station till further notice”.

The clergyman was as a result the injuries he sustained, admitted at the Military Cantonment hospital, Nkwegu Mechanised cantonment for a night and later discharged the following morning.

A two paragraphed medical report from the Army cantonment, Nkwegu signed by one Dr. Akande, a Medical Officer of the Health Record Department in the cantonment indicated that Rev Igwe was presented with multiple contusion  on the face and head with bruises on the body as a result of assault on the 14th day of November, 2024, which the assault was on the 13th day of November, 2024.

“He was evaluated as trauma secondary to assault in a known hypertensive”, the medical report further disclosed.

However, Rev. Igwe in the petition prayed the State Commissioner of Police to use his good offices to order proper investigation into the case and possibly arrest and prosecute the independent oil marketer along with his cohorts. 

Based on this petition, the Crack Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command swiftly, swung into action and arrested the accused at the wee hours of last Thursday. 

He was grilled and detained at the Crack Squad section of the state command for over 12 hours after he was made to write his statement following the intervention of his lawyers.

Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe who is also a major containerised motor transporter in Ebonyi when contacted on phone by our correspondent in Abakaliki averred that the clergyman was indebted to him from an unfinished business he had with him.

He added that every effort he evolved to make Rev. Igwe refund him failed, which led to why he attacked him on his way to recover his money; the sum of #200,000 only. 

Chief Ndukwe showed evidence of a POS transaction allegedly transferred to him by the clergyman after his ordeal in his hand and that of his men.

The Ebonyi State Police command Chief image maker, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Joseph Omaha when contacted said he was yet to be briefed on the details of the case.