Sowore, Others Blast Ned Nwoko For Using Affluence To Illegally Jail Kinsman Over Land-Grabbing Business

Nigerians on social media have lambasted a former House of Representatives member, Ned Nwoko for allegedly using his influence to jail one Okey Ifejoku and 9 other community leaders of Idumeje Ugboko village in Delta state for years. 

A former beauty queen, Pamela Ifejoku, had in a viral video on her Twitter page accused Nwoko of putting her father in jail and causing her mother to spend her birthday in prison because their community resisted his attempt at land-grabbing.

Pamela, who was bestowed MBGN Miss Tourism after she emerged second runner-up when she contested as Miss Abuja in the 2019 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant, demanded her father’s freedom.

She accused Nwoko and the police of malicious destruction of property, disobedience to the order of the court, assault occasioning harm, abuse of public office, unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

“Sometime in 2017, Ned Nwoko instigated a crisis in Idumuje Ugboko Community in Delta state, as a result of the community's firm refusal to give him additional 90 hectares of land, having mismanaged the over hectares earlier giving to him

"In the ensuing crisis, it was alleged that one Cyprian Kumaorun was killed. While this was ongoing, my father, Okey Ifejoku was several kilometres away in Asaba. He was neither present at the scene of the crisis nor participated in any alleged fight.

"However, since then, Ned Nwoko has made it a point of duty to terrorise the community until they fall on their knees and offer him the land on a platter.   

"By virtue of Mr. Okey Ifejoku's (My father) position as the President of the Idumuje Ugboko Development Union, he has borne the greatest oppression from Ned Nwoko. Ned Nwoko has unlawfully used the instruments of state, particularly the Nigeria police in Delta State and Abuja, to oppress the helpless members of Idumuje-Ugboko Community. 

“While this was going, Ned Nwoko moved to Abuja and got officers of the FCID Abuja to arrest my father Mr.Okey Ifejoku and 9 other members of the Idumuje Ugboko community. The 10 defendants were arrested, detained at FCID for up to six months, before they were charged to court in two batches, by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for alleged terrorism and alleged murder of Cyprian Kumaorun," she had said 

Reacting, Nigerians on Twitter including former presidential aspirant and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, accused Nwoko of using his influence to oppress and intimidate the masses.
 
Sowore wrote, “#FreeOkeyIfejoku Ned Nwoko has ruined lots of lives using his influence, wealth & connections with the@PoliceNG and politicians. @pa_melanin is very right. In January when I was detained at FCIID in Abuja, I met innocent young men detained by Ned, having been framed for murder."

A Twitter user, @Vin77371545 said, “It hurts how some people come out here to defend this man. Don't defend what you don't know, I have a friend who's from Ned's family, she's one of the Nwokos. That man intimidates anybody, including his own brothers, that my friend once told me exactly this same story.”

Another user, @savndaniel wrote, “It is wrong for a man to use the colour of his station in life to oppress the common man. It is even a greater wickedness to charge an innocent man for murder at the magistrate court. He was discharged and acquitted on merit. 

“Not stopping there, you decided to charge him for treason at the Federal High Court, Abuja. There is nothing in the charge that discloses the offence he is so charged with. I feel for Chief Okey Ifejoku, he is a victim of arbitrary use of power, arising from communal land crises.

“I have seen a video by someone here - on this street - alleging that Chief Okey Ifejoku 'killed' his father or contributed to the death of his father. If that judgement is true valid and binding, then his claims are baseless and defamatory. I hope he understands that.

“I have gone through a Certified True Copy of the Delta State High, Asaba Judicial Division, judgement with suit no A/240c/2017, delivered on the 13th day of August, 2020 discharging and acquitting Chief Okey Ifejoku of the offence of murder.

“From the document in my possession, Mr. Okey Ifejoku is standing trial for treason at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division. To the best of my knowledge, he is not standing trial for the offence of murder anywhere, as alleged by some folks - as seen in a certain video.”

@Mrchinazorduru1 said, “Ned Nwoko, I heard he is a lawyer. I think he is using his superior knowledge of the law to oppress the man. One can only hope that justice would be served.”

Another user, @Cuty_Tricia wrote, “Injustice to one is injustice to all; Ned Nwoko, release our Fathers!! Regina Daniels, talk to your baby daddy to release our daddy.” 

@themacketlady said, “NED NWOKO: It's not the first of many. If you don’t use your wealth to influence the lives of people positively, you’re still poor. A lot of wealthy people oppress the less fortunate, just to prove a point- I’m more superior than you and there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

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