The people of Umuaka Asa in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have installed a traditional shrine as a security measure to protect public property from vandals and thieves.
Speaking on the development, the Traditional Prime Minister of the community, Sampson Nwaigwe, said the decision followed repeated incidents of vandalism, including the theft of armoured cables from an electric transformer. He stressed that the shrine was solely intended to deter criminals, not to hinder Christians or members of other faiths from freely practicing their religion, contrary to reports in some sections of the media.
Nwaigwe also dismissed claims that the community’s traditional ruler, Eze Sunday Nwogu, was involved in the alleged sale of a transformer donated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing the allegations as false and politically motivated.
Similarly, the Commander of Umuaka Vigilante Networking, Nwokeukwu Damian, explained that the shrine was introduced after stolen armoured cables were recovered, adding that it serves as a deterrent against further destruction of community property.
The community accused a rival who contested and lost the Ezeship stool to Eze Nwogu of sponsoring negative reports to discredit the monarch. They maintained that Christians and adherents of other faiths have always coexisted peacefully in Umuaka Asa without harassment or restrictions.
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