From SUNNY A. DAVID:

One person was suspected dead, vehicles numbering about 30 and several houses in Iyiowa Odoekpe Layout in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State were damaged by hoodlums believed to be youths of Odoekpe Community.

Mostly targeted were the vehicles and houses of the immediate past and present leaders of Iyiowa Landlord Association.

The victims who took newsmen round the Estate where the monumental destruction took place estimated the cost of destruction to be about N100million.

Speaking to newsmen the newly elected chairman of the Iyiowa Layout Landlords Association, Mr Sunday Obinze, said the hoodlums from Odoekpe Community invaded their houses at about 8 am on Tuesday morning armed with Pump Action rifles, destroyed and burnt his Lexus. 330 Jeep and damaged the louvres in his four-storey building.

In some other places about four vehicles each were destroyed in the compounds visited.

They were to have broken into shops and carted away drinks, beverages and cash running into several millions of naira.

A men who was washing his car had his two eyes damaged and beaten to stupor, while his provision store was emptied by the hoodlums who were said to have locked the gate of the estate to prevent people from entering and exiting the Layout.

The Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Hon. Pascal Aniegbuna who was inspected the destruction condemned the act, pleading that people should not take laws into their hands, stating that efforts would be made to resolve the matter.

The Divisional Police Officer who confirmed the incident said he would not talk on the matter.

But the LandLord Association leadership accused the Odoekpe traditional institution, key members of the Community and former Chairman of the association who allegedly was bent in imposing his son as his successor of being behind the mayhem.