Community accuses elders of embezzling N100m

TRACKING___here is tension in Ugbolokposo community in Uvwie Local Government of Delta State, following alleged misappropriation of N100 million by ‘few elders’.

Chief Benson Anoemuaghan and Emma Atseruboma – in a petition to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, accused a prominent chief of planning to ‘seize, intimidate and forcefully install an unpopular leadership in the once peaceful Ugbolokposo’.

The petitioners appealed to Ikenwoli to prevent the crisis in the peaceful community.

“Community executives had always been drawn from the various quarters to ensure fairness and equity. But the reverse is now the case since our best hands are not being projected to take the community to the next level, due to the external unholy interference from the chief in question.”

Anoemuaghan and Atseruboma said their December 16, 2019, letter, which bordered on the leadership tussle and embezzled fund, was ‘sat upon’ by vested interests.

Both demanded ‘a detailed explanation of perceived financial misappropriation of a N100 million from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) paid in 2017.

“This has been the real issue tearing the community apart. The N100 million was awarded to us in a judgment against SPDC. The community only got to know about the money in 2019 after the same elders collected it without recourse to the community.

“It took the intervention of some of us to arrest the crises that would have happened when the news got to the community and people asked for how the money was spent.

“Not a kobo was brought to the community and attempts to get to the root of this issue have been resisted. We require your intervention in this regard to ensure justice is not only done, but seen to have been done to all parties.”