From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Royal fathers in Aba South Council Area of Abia State are unhappy over ongoing massive destruction of properties and arrest of innocent individuals by the police in what appeared a reprisal for the killing of their colleague by hoodlums.
The monarchs, while condemning the act leading to the death of the police Inspector attached to Ndiegoro Division (Cameroon Barracks) in Aba South, said mass arrest of those that had no hand in the unfortunate incident and razing of properties were not the panacea for peace to reign in the area.
Chairman of the Local Government Area Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Ibe Enyeazu, told Daily Sun that in as much as they were not happy over the unfortunate incident leading to the death of the policeman, the method of daily raids and reprisal attacks engaged by the security officers to avenge the death of their colleague was faulty and unacceptable: “No one is against the police coming to investigate the incident and apprehend those involved, but the daily looting, destruction of properties and arrest of innocent persons are actions we do not accept.
“The coming again today (Saturday) by policemen to destroy properties and arrest people that had no hand in the act, after they had assured us that such inappropriate conduct was not authorized and had been stopped, is condemnable and remains unacceptable to us.”
Eze Enyeazu said he reached out to the Aba Area Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies’ hierarchies in the area to ensure the maintenance of peace, while police commenced investigations on the incident.
He further said he had formally informed the State government through the Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Ikechi Mgboji, who hails from the area, the House of Representatives member for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Chief Chimaobi Ebisike, Aba South Acting Chairman/Head of Service, among others, to ensure that peace was maintained.
He, however, regretted that the action of the police might escalate the situation, and bring quarrel between the innocent residents of the area and the force: “Youths in the area are now getting agitated to retaliate the burning and looting and mass arrests being carried out by the police in Ndiegoro,” he lamented and appealed to the authorities to urgently wade into the matter to stop the police from wanton harassment and intimidation, in order to checkmate what might follow.
But, Abia Police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, alluded that the raids “would continue until the rifle which the hoodlums took away, after killing the Inspector, was found, and the perpetrators identified and arrested.”
Ogbonna had in a local radio programme monitored by our reporter, warned residents and property owners harbouring criminals in their premises, to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the wrath of the law as patrols would not stop, soon.
Property worth billions of Naira, including residential and business houses, shops and wares, as well as industrial machines and confectioners’ equipment for bread making, were set ablaze by the menacing gun-wielding policemen, when they invaded the Iheorji market area and its adjoining streets and neighbourhood.