“Youth Entrepreneur Yanbaba in Anambra Cries Out After Armed Raid by State Officials”
Awka, Anambra State – What should have been a day of creativity and youth empowerment for content creator Chijioke Igwendu, popularly known as Yanbaba, turned into a nightmare when officials of the Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA) and armed operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) stormed his studio, cocked their guns, and threatened to seal his office. Jungle-Journalist.Com reports that the incident occurred during a podcast recording session at Yan Kontent Factory, the hub founded by Igwendu.
The CEO and convener of the popular Gbam! Interview Podcast described the traumatic experience as “inhuman, discouraging, and a betrayal by a government I have tirelessly promoted.”
“I am only a content creator. My only offence is that I created jobs for young people and established an office. No content creator has supported this government and Anambra State more than I have done,” Igwendu lamented.
According to him, two men in reflective jackets initially entered his office demanding ASWAMA payment receipts. After leaving briefly, they returned with armed NSCDC officers who allegedly stormed the premises, cocked their rifles, and ordered everyone to vacate.
“Their shouting disrupted our interview and terrified everyone. Why are you cocking and waving guns at us? Are we criminals? Are we kidnappers? What happened to dialogue?” Igwendu asked in disbelief.
Igwendu explained that the harassment stemmed from what he described as fraudulent billing practices by ASWAMA. While his category fee was ₦7,200, he claims the agency repeatedly imposed an inflated bill of ₦120,000.
“Last year, I was billed ₦120,000 instead of ₦7,200. I challenged it in court, and I believed it was resolved. To my surprise, the same bill was issued again this year. When I complained, they said the leadership had changed, and my previous complaint was no longer valid,” he explained.
Despite multiple appeals to the SSA to the Governor on New Media and the Mayor of Awka South, Igwendu says his complaints were ignored. Instead, his office was allegedly served with a court summon before the shocking raid.
In a startling twist, Igwendu revealed that his guest for the session was forced to transfer ₦50,000 on the spot, far above the ₦7,000 originally required.
“This treatment by a state government agency is not only inhuman but very discouraging to a young entrepreneur like myself. I have promoted the works of this government, I pay my tax, I employ youths, and yet, I am harassed with guns,” he said bitterly.
Jungle-Journalist.Com notes that the incident has sparked outrage online, with social media users describing it as a gross abuse of power and a direct attack on youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria.