‘He Supervised My Beating’: Woman Alleges Rivers Council Chairman Epelle Ordered Assault For Exposing Dilapidated School

A resident of Oduk community, Winnie Miller, has accused the Executive Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Eugene Chita Epelle, of storming her residence with security personnel and supervising her alleged assault after she posted a viral video highlighting the deplorable state of a secondary school in her community.

Miller made the allegation during a press conference, where she recounted a harrowing ordeal that she said occurred last Sunday around noon, shortly after she returned from church service.

According to her, the incident followed a video she posted online showing the dilapidated condition of a secondary school in Oduk, which reportedly went viral and triggered widespread reactions.

It was gathered that the video attracted public attention, with several individuals allegedly contacting the council chairman over the state of the school facility.

Narrating her experience, Miller alleged that the council boss arrived at her family house accompanied by security operatives and confronted her mother over the video.

She said: “The chairman, Eugene Chita Epelle, who is the Executive Chairman of Ahoada West LGA, came to my house on Sunday around 12 noon after church service. He came to my house and confronted my mother, telling her that I wanted to damage his image online.

“He said I made a post about the secondary school in Oduk and that the video had made him receive calls from several persons, claiming that I had insulted his office.”

Miller alleged that the chairman then instructed his younger brother, Monday Chita Epelle, to physically assault her.

“For that reason, he instructed his brother, Monday Chita Epelle, to beat me and teach me a lesson. During that act, Monday Chita pushed my gate open, entered my compound, and started beating me. If not for the intervention of my neighbours in the community, he would have succeeded in killing me, just as he said,” she narrated.

She further stated that the attack escalated to the point where her life was in danger.

“He strangled my neck. I still have neck injuries up till now. He even picked up a shovel and wanted to use it on my head. A passerby, Godstime Kakoro, can also be interviewed. He was the one who dragged the shovel away from Monday Chita to prevent him from hitting me on the head,” she recounted.

According to Miller, the chairman allegedly stood by and watched as the assault unfolded.

“He supervised my beating. He was there with his security personnel, and nothing was done to stop it. That’s what the chairman did to me,” she said.

Miller also alleged that her mother was pushed during the confrontation and sustained injuries in the process.