The Anambra State Government has launched an inquiry into the alleged brutalisation of Okey Akaneme, former President of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, by officials from the state Waste Management Agency and police.
When reached by our correspondent on Monday, the state commissioner for environment, Felix Odumegwu, acknowledged the investigation, saying that while the government does not condone assault, preliminary investigations revealed that ASWAMA workers were not to blame.
“The Anambra state government does not condone assault or touting of any kind, and if any government agent is found culpable, he will face the consequences.
“We must unravel the unfortunate incident, but first and foremost, we must know the medical condition of the victim and rescue health first, if any,” Odumegwu stated.
Akaneme was reportedly attacked on October 11 at his property on Obi Lane, America Quarters, Onitsha, after ASWAMA personnel, joined by two Onitsha Central Police Station officers, stormed his home over unpaid sanitation fees.
According to witnesses, Akaneme was manhandled, resulting in significant spinal damage.
A close associate, Okechukwu Ani, narrating the ordeal, said, “The team entered Akaneme’s home early that morning, demanding his arrest. Akaneme, still in his sleepwear, asked for time to get ready, but the team allegedly forced their way in.
“As neighbours were prevailing on the ASWAMA team to leave Akaneme alone, they realised that they had inflicted on him an almost fatal injury; it was at that point that the team members forcefully dropped Akaneme’s body to the ground of his apartment, near the door, while he was unable to lift a finger or move his legs with his neck broken amidst other injuries,” he said.
Akaneme was transported to Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital in Onitsha before being moved to Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, where doctors determined that his spinal cord was 65% injured.
He has already been sent to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu for additional treatment.
The incident, which was extensively shared on social media, aroused uproar.
Residents and human rights groups have criticised the state government’s early silence and demanded accountability.
However, Odumegwu insisted that the state is prioritising Akaneme’s health.
“First and foremost, we have tried to reach the victim to ascertain his health condition and see how it can be salvaged. The victim reported the matter to the police station, and investigations are going on as we speak. The ASWAMA waste manager has been trying empathically to reach the victim but to no avail,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command had yet to comment on the incident.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, declined to comment when contacted.
