By Chimaobi Nwaiwu                    

Six years after criminal-minded youths overran Nteje community, in Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, with different kinds of criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, arson, raping of ladies and knocking down building of people who dared challenged them, land grabbing and selling and other forms of violent criminal activities, peace has returned in the community.

The return of peace follows the Federal and Anambra State governments intervention with drafting of the Army, Navy and Police, who were earlier over powered by the rampaging misguided youths.

The Nteje community in appreciation of the efforts of the Federal and State government in returning peace and order in their town, yesterday embarked of Solidarity March in support of both governments, round the 47 Wards in Nteje and the Oyi Local Government Headquarters also in Nteje, and later marched to the Awkuzu junction area of Onitsha Enugu expressway, and then back to Nteje Central School, where they danced and exchanged banters for the peace that has returned to the community.

They also displayed placards with inscriptions as, “Shun terror and embrace peace,” “Bravo, Army, Navy, Police, DSS, for your intervention,” “Federal and Anambra State governments we salute you for bringing peace in our community,” “United we stand, peace is what we need,” ” Embrace peace and your days will be long,” “Federal government Nteje people are happy now” and many others.

Earlier before the solidarity march kicked off, the people of Nteje first went to Umunnakwa Ifite Nteji, house of the oldest man in the community, 121 years old, Chief Onyekwe Ewugo Akwauba, who blessed them after coherently analyzing the crimes of the rampaging youths and what the community suffered in their hands, to the shock of the people and newsmen.

He regretted that the criminal activities of the youths started from Ifite Nteje over leadership tussle for land matters, and spread to other areas of Nteje, before the alleged criminal youths brought in their friends from other surrounding towns to unleash unimaginable terror on Nteje community.

They also paid a similar visit to the “Amala”, the ancestral home of Nteje community, where the Spiritual head of the community, Chief Onurah Nweke Amuda, also addressed and blessed them for embarking of the Solidarity March, praying that never again will the community experience such lawlessness.

Other elders of the community trooped out enmass, at Nteje Central School field venue of the Solidarity Rally, and equally spoke one after the other, expressing their gratitude to God, Federal Government, Anambra State Government, the Army, Navy and Police, include Chief Paul Odu, Ezi Nteje, Chief Pius Nweke Okechi the Ojiani Nteje, and Onuora Nweke.

Women and youths of the community were not left out as they sang and danced to different tunes of traditional music, and songs praising the Federal and State governments for returning peace to their community.

Conveners of the Solidarity Rally, Chief Obiajulu Nwoye, who is the Special Assistant to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Leisure Parks and Mr Innocent Ugwo, a youth leader in the community, in conjunction with other elders and youths in Nteje thanked God that some of the youths troubling them have been arrested and urged the Federal and State government to ensure that they arrest those that fled the community.

According to Nwoye, who was also a former Special Assistant to ex-Governor Willie Obiano on Political Matters, said “We are here today because all of us have been asking for peace in the community.

“For over six years we have never had peace here in Nteje, some youths made the community non conducive for the entire community, many people stopped coming home, because those youths practically grounded this community, they kidnapped, robbed, raped and knocked down or burned down peoples building and engaged in all kinds of molestation of our people and visitors.

“However, we approached the Federal and State Governments through some of our people and they responded by restoring peace in the community with the arrest of the gang leaders of the misguided criminal youths and their members, while others fled the town, we appeal to the government to ensure that those that fled the town are arrested and prosecuted like their colleagues who are now cooling off in the Police net.

“We must have peace in this community, few disgruntled youths cannot chase us out of our community.”

According to Ugwo, “what is happening today is a testament that peace has returned in Nteje, before now, you cannot see people gathered like this, those criminal elements will not allow it happen, they held sway until now.

“Peace is sacrosanct to community development, we are united in seeking for peace and we have found peace today and we are celebrating it.

“In the last few years, we witnessed influx of terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbers and rapists brought into our community by some of our misguided youths, a lot of people lost their lives, houses and property, because of their criminal activities, the community was almost going into extinction, but today we thank God that peace has returned.”