Helen Agbi and Ogeri Agbi with their children have been stranded and without home sequel the demolition of their family house by their brother in-laws.
The incident which is unfortunate to the widows living at the demolished apartment occurred on 18th and 26 July 2022 respectively, in Ezi Agbi, Ukpa Community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State over ownership of family building.
Newsmen visited the scene of the incident at Ezi Agbi, Ukpa Community, it was gathered that part of the family house including the fence and the properties inside were all destroyed.
Speaking with the affected widows, the duo Helen and Ogeri Agbi lamented that they have never seen that kind of thing before and never believe that her brother in-laws, could do such a thing to them.
They alleged that the boys that demolished the building and destroyed their properties were hired by Azubuike Agbi, one of their brother in-laws, who conspired with the other whose name was not ascertained.
They further lamented that they have no place to lay their head, calling on the government to come to their rescue.
“You have seen how the world is, we don’t have anybody to come for our rescue nor to speak for us. I have never seen this kind of thing in my life. I never knew that my husband’s brother could demolish our house for no just cause.
“They destroyed the building including the properties inside the house. All our cushion chairs, bed, fan, Television, lamp, kitchen utensils, wrappers and other things were all destroyed.
“I want the government to come to our rescue. You can see how we are struggling to earn a living. We are only surviving by God’s Grace”, Helen and Ogeri Agbi lamented.
“As you can see, our husband died some years ago. It is my brother in-law that came and destroyed the only house where we are living. They gave us notice to pack out.
“We have been living peacefully in this compound until when they came and told us that they want to rebuild their own side of the building and later migrated to our own side and did the same thing.
“This thing happened on the 18th and 26th July, 2022. Our husband, Egwu Agbi owns this building. Our late husband and his brother inherited this building from their mother and was divided for both of them to live.
“The issues we had with them were in the past and have been settled by Ukpa Community who divided the compound into two, one side was given to our husband while his elder brother has the other side. And We have had no issue recently that could warrant this type of wickedness.
One of the widow’s children, Mr Agbi Anelechi while reacting to the matter, stated that the building is a family compound which his father Egwu Elechi and Okwa Agbi inherited from their grandmother and have lived there for years, but unfortunately, their cousin’s brother, Azubuike Agbi came and claimed ownership of the compound and served them quit notice to pack out saying that the compound belongs to them.
He furthered explained that his cousin hired some group of boys on the 18th of July 2022 led by Mr Heart Okwa and demolish the building, but following the alarm raised by an Okada rida they ran away.
Also, on 26th July 2022, those boys came again with all manner of weapons such as machetes, axe, guns among others and succeeded in demolishing part of the building including the fence and the properties inside it.
He, therefore, called on the government and Non-Governmental Organizations to come to their rescue and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted.
When contacted for his reaction to the allegation, Mr Heart Okwa said he won’t react to the issue until he knows the people that reported him.
Meanwhile, Mr Azubuike Agbi, one of the brother in-laws who instructed that the building should be demolished, is based far away United States of America (USA).
All effects made to get his contact proved abortive.