By Usman Okai Austin
As for Ogugu people , the fear of Joe 90, is the beginning of wisdom in Ogugu kingdom.
Rather than celebrate the appointment of their son as Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, the people of Ogugu in Olamaboro are crying and lamenting. This is because Edward Onoja has constituted a gang of thugs to intimidate and extort the poorest of the poor in his own community. Onoja's gang of thugs is led by one Joe 90, a notorious thug said to be the senior brother of Bobby Ujah and Valley Ujah, two of The COS hired Facebook sycophants.
Joe 90 was arrested in 2008 along with late Osama and other political assassins during the rerun election between ex Governor Ibrahim Idris and Late Abubakar Audu, with large quantity of arms and ammunitions . They were held at a Force Headquaters Abuja for over Nine months after the confessed that they were hired to kill PDP supporters on Election Day.
This same deadly Joe 90 has been appointed by the COS to mount roadblocks all over Ogugu his home now to extort his own people in the name of collecting produce. Thus people going to the market on coming from farm all over Ogugu are waylaid by the gang and asked to pay for their wares which most of the time are little farm produce like cassava or yam carried in a basin meant for eating or sale.
Our sources reveal that daily several items of food and animals are seized from poor people byEdward Onoja's gangs and held hostage until the people are able to go and source for money to bail their food or animals.
Any person seen with a goat must pay N900 as produce tax while chicken attracts N300. A big basin of any food item called (Igbajo) whether is cassava or yam or grains will be charged N300 also while vegetables like Alefo or Ugwu or bitter leaves are charged N200 Persons who fail to 'bail' their items within 24 hours risk losing them particularly if it's a goat or the food item is in quantity.
Now the popular Ogugu market is said to be very scanty on market days as villages stay away for fear of the thugs. The thugs extort those selling and at the close of the market they also lay ambush for people who bought commodities and force them to pay again.
Even on none market days anyone seem with food item or anything of value will be immediately surrounded and asked to pay for the item or it will be ceased.
This harassment and intimidation of his own people has become the talk of Ogugu people everywhere particularly in Lokoja.
The President of Ogugu People's Union Hon Emmanuel Anyebe is said to have attempted to meet with Edward Onoja several times to appeal for mercy on his people but his attempts were snubbed by Onoja.
Even the Onu of Ogugu, Chief Micheal Ochogu is said to have attempted to intervene but was equally ignored by Edward Onoja who is said to be making money from his own people's agony. Is now obvious for Edward Onoja to makes money , masses must suffer for it
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