Whistle-blowing: Anambra council boss beats up worker

The Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Pius Ifeadi, has allegedly beaten up the Head of Local Government Administration of the area, Mr. Chike Obuekwe, for raising the alarm over diversion of the council’s funds.

File Photo - Nigerian Police men

It was gathered that Obuekwe was beaten up after he wrote a memo to the council chairman to draw his attention to what he called massive corruption and diversion of funds in the council.

Ifeadi, known as governor Willie Obiano’s political son, did not take the revelation lightly.

“He invited Obuekwe to his office and attacked him physically, using his shoes and other instruments available, leaving him wounded, particularly in his head,” a source in the  LGA told SUNDAY PUNCH.

Obukwe petitioned the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission over the attack.

Obuekwe’s petition, obtained by our correspondent from the Local Government Service Commission read in part, “In the course of the discharge of my duties, I discovered that illegal collections were going on, particularly around the waterways by some people who were agents of the Transition Committee Chairman and I did my best to expose some illegal collections. I attach proofs of those illegal collections and I mark same Annexure B.”

Obuekwe’s lawyer, Gab Muoneke, had petitioned the Anambra State Commissioner of Police about the development.

When contacted on the telephone, Ifeadu admitted having “a little misunderstanding” with Obuekwe but said the matter had been resolved.

Speaking after he was discharged from the hospital, Obuekwe appealed to the governor and the Local Government Service Commission to look into the matter, especially the physical assault on him.