The Arewa Youth Forum may have started implementing the October 1st deadline quit notice to the Igbo residing in the 19 northern states following the seizure of a sewing machine belonging to an Igbo woman, Mrs. Nnedi Ughalaa, who is a tailor at Dutsen Kura-Gwari, Minna by a group of youths in the area.
The hoodlums, Nigeria News Flight gathered, left a hand-written note, which also contained the phone number of one of them (08134844864).
They directed the tailor, a widow, to pay them N2, 400 before they could release her sewing machine.
The attack on Mrs. Nnedi Ughalaa last week, is coming on the heels of assurances by the Niger State government on the Igbo that they are free to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of molestation.
Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubarkar Sani Bello, had while hosting the Igbo in the state led by Eze Igbo of Minna, Eze Pampas Wahiwe, assured of their security and that of their properties.
Investigations by our correspondent however revealed that the youths that attacked Mrs. Nnedi had claimed to be revenue collectors from Chanchaga Local Government Council but showed no evidence of being staff of the council.
It is also known that revenue collectors in the state could only confiscate properties, when defaulters fail to pay after several attempts. But it was different in this case. The hoodlums that attacked Nnedi showed no courtesy of being a civil servant.
The widow, who now struggles to feed her children, told our correspondent how the youths entered her shop and started demanding that she pay N2, 400 (two thousand, four hundred Naira) as levy on her shop.
Her words: “I was in the shop working when some boys came and demanded that I pay levy for my shop. I have never met them before and they looked unfriendly, they did not give me any ticket bearing Chanchaga local government or state revenue board like other receipts they used to give us.
“They never gave me any receipt as they usually do, they just entered and started demanding that I pay them. As we were still arguing one of them removed my sewing machine and told me to call them when I am ready to pay before they could return the machine.
“While arguing with them my neighbours even came out to plead with the boys to release my sewing machine and to give me original receipt as others do and that they should give me time within which to pay.”
Asked if any of the shops had paid the group, Nnedi replied on the contrary, adding however that the boys numbering about five entered only her shop of all the shops within the vicinity and therefore expressed fears that her attackers could have sinister motives.
When contacted for confirmation of the attack, which occurred very close to the police headquarters, Dutsen Kura-Gwari, western by-pass, Minna, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Comfort Olawumi, said that she was not aware of the attack and stealing of sewing machine.
According to the PPRO, “I am not aware of the attack on anybody and stealing of sewing machine or any act of attempted exploitation of anybody by hoodlums”.
