17/07/2025
ONITSHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PRESS STATEMENT
*OKECHUKWU AKANEME: AN UNFORTUNATE AND HEART-RENDING DEATH*
The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) received with complete and utter sadness, the news of the death of her 9th President, Mr. Okechukwu Theophilus Akaneme. The news of his death was more tragic, given the circumstances that led to his untimely demise.
Akaneme died due to complications arising from injuries inflicted on him in his spinal cord by agents of Anambra State Government, precisely Anambra State Waste Management Authority with the aid of some Police officers. They were said to have attacked him in his living room on Friday, October 11, 2024, in the pretext of revenue enforcement. Those encounter left him paralyzed from around his shoulders down, and hospitalized for an entire nine months.
We acknowledge the fact that the Anambra State Government assisted the Akaneme family financially while Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme was hospitalized. ONICCIMA however strongly urge the Anambra State Government to further pay reasonable and adequate compensation to the family, who are reportedly still indebted to the hospitals that treated Mr. Akaneme and other financiers to the tune of well over N40 million. The Anambra State Government owes this to the Akaneme family as a matter of responsibility.
Again, ONICCIMA demands justice for our former President, Okechukwu Akaneme, to its full extent. His family had not only reported the incident to the Police, but also petitioned the relevant authorities seeking justice. Regrettably, nine months after the dastardly act, the culprits namely: Joseph Okoye who reportedly led the inglorious team, the two policemen said to be attached to Onitsha Area Command who worked with the said Mr Okoye, and the other members of the team are yet to be charged to court.
We note that this is a clear case of homicide as Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme died directly as a result of the injuries he sustained in the hands of these lawless executioners.
The Police must eschew unnecessary bureaucracy and complicity, and every act inimical to timely delivery of justice in the matter. There should be immediate arrest, thorough investigation, and prosecution of all the individuals involved in the Friday, October 11,2024 incident that maimed Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme and eventually led to his death There should be immediate arrest and detention of the ASWAMA contractor and agents who masterminded the team that reportedly attacked Okechukwu Akaneme.
The circumstances surrounding Akaneme’s death should compel a rethink of government’s revenue drive methodologies, with a view to shedding off the ‘Killer Squad’ toga which government agencies such as ASWAMA, Ocha Brigade, Traffic Management and road decongestion teams, Udogachi, Hackney permit operators, etc have earned for themselves for some time now.
The police authorities and other security agencies should strictly enforce their code of conduct with a view to stamping out illegal and unprofessional policing/operations by its rank and file. This will enable the agencies earn the confidence of the public, and make their work easier.
Once more, we demand justice for Okechukwu Akaneme.
*ONICCIMA SECRETARIAT*
