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Tag: Enugu Killings

  • Enugu killings: Senate seeks police, military presence in Uzo-Uwani

    Enugu killings: Senate seeks police, military presence in Uzo-Uwani

    The Senate on Wednesday, May 15, urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, to urgently ensure the presence of their personnel in the Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu state.

    The Senate said the deployment of security operatives in the area would help put a permanent stop to incessant killings and ensure adequate security.

    The resolutions of the Red Chamber followed its consideration and adoption of a motion on the need for the IGP and COAS to urgently curb the senseless killings and maiming of innocent indigenes of Nimbo, Adani in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state by bandits.

    The motion was sponsored by Senator Okechukwu Ezea (LP – Enugu North) and co-sponsored by Senator Kelvin Chukwu (LP -Enugu East) and Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP- Enugu West).

    Okechukwu in his lead debate, said that on April 7, five innocent farmers in Adani, a popular rice production community in Uzo-Uwani were callously murdered by some bandits who invaded the community in the wee hours of the morning to commit the dastardly act.

    He said on April 28, at about 2 pm another attack was carried out in the same area where four innocent people in the farming village of Nimbo were gruesomely mowed down by bandits in an unprovoked attack that is reminiscent of the April 2016 Nimbo killings.

    He recalled that in February 2016, the Abbi community was the first to be hit by the same assailants where two people were gruesomely killed while 19 others were declared missing.

    He said there was a major massacre in the Nimbo community in the early hours of April 25, 2016, which left over 46 people dead and 14 persons injured, with their houses and other property completely razed.

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    He expressed worry that the killings did not seem to be isolated as their persistence indicated a pattern, saying that even with the 2016 killings, the authorities both at the state and Federal levels had not taken robust steps to stop it.

    He expressed worry that if nothing very urgent and sustainable was done to put an end to the recurrent menace, people might begin to resort to self-help to ward off the criminal elements.

    This, he said might eventually lead to a complete breakdown of law and order, especially given the already challenging security situation in the region.

    He said that with the strategic location of Uzo-Uwani as a net producer of food in the country, the killings might have a significant impact on the nation’s food security as more and more farmers were now becoming afraid to go to farms for fear of being killed.

    He said residents were abandoning their communities and relocating to urban areas, thereby, exacerbating the rural-urban migration crises in the country.

    Senator Kelvin Chukwu (LP -Enugu), who seconded the motion, said the killing of members of the community was unacceptable, saying that there was a need to put an end to the killings.

    He said considering the strategic nature of the affected communities in rice production, there was a need to protect the residents from attack.

    Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP- Enugu) said although he is a co-sponsor of the motion but was disassociating himself from the fifth paragraph of the motion, which stated that the state and Federal governments had not taken robust steps to stop the killings.

    Ngwu said it was a misrepresentation of facts that the state and Federal governments and security agencies were not working hard to put an end to the attacks and killings and protect members of the communities.

    According to Ngwu, the Enugu state governor, Dr Peter Mbah and the security agencies had visited the affected communities with relief materials, saying that the state and federal governments and the security agencies were doing everything possible to protect the people and end the attacks.

    He appreciated the security personnel and the government for their efforts in tackling the insecurity issues in the area.

    Senate also in its resolution, urged the IGP, COAS  and Director General of the Department of State Services to investigate, arrest and prosecute the criminal gangs to serve as a deterrent.

    It also directed its committees on Legislative Compliance, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to ensure compliance and proffer lasting solutions.

    It further urged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the victims to cushion the effects of the unwarranted attacks

    It commended the government and security agencies for their efforts in fighting insecurity in the area.

  • We’ll fish out perpetrators of Enugu killings, CP vows

    THE new Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe, has assured Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that his command is “doing everything possible to fish out the perpetrators” behind the killing of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Clement Ugwu and the Secretary to the UzoUwani Local Government Area, Dr. Nnamdi Ogueche. CP Balarabe, who gave the assurance when he paid the governor a courtesy visit at the Government House, Enugu, said that one of the reasons for the visit was to condole with him on the incidents, saying: “My command deeply and sadly condole His Excellency on these unfortunate deaths.”

    This came as the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement made available to the press, disclosed that the perpetrators of the heinous acts were yet-to-be identified contrary to reports in some sections of the media. The police spokesperson stated that “investigation is still ongoing to unmask those behind the dastardly acts as well as their motives”, adding that “the command views the report as improper, malicious and inciting as the ongoing police investigation has not revealed those responsible for the unfortunate incidents including their background.”

    According to him:“The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, working in partnership with sister security agencies and relevant stakeholders is committed towards sustaining peace and security in the state.”  On his part, the police chief told Ugwuanyi that the visit was also to formally introduce himself as “the new Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command” and to congratulate him on his reelection. Responding, the governor, who welcomed and congratulated the new CP on his “posting to this very important and strategic office”, stated that “following our meeting with security agencies in the state, we are also confident that the command will as usual, do everything necessary to apprehend the hoodlums”, praying that similar incidents do not recur.

    Ugwuanyi noted that his administration in its resolve to ensure security of lives and property of the people as well as the maintenance of peace in every corner of the state, has “always maintained an excellent partnership with the Enugu State Police Command and other security agencies in the state.” The governor added that “this relationship has largely been responsible for the current status of the state as one of the safest, most peaceful and most secure states in the country.” While expressing gratitude to the command “for its vital contributions towards the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general election in the state”, Ugwuanyi reassured the new CP of “the continued support and cooperation of the state government to ensure an even more laudable performance of the command under your watch.”

  • Enugu killings: We are working hard to track down attackers – Arase

    Enugu killings: We are working hard to track down attackers – Arase

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, said the Police were working hard to unravel the true identities of herdsmen killing innocent Nigerians in parts of the country.

    Arase stated this in Jos, Plateau, on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after delivering a paper at a Public Lecture at the University of Jos.

    He said the police had made some arrests in connection with the Nimbo killings in Enugu, adding that investigation had been intensified to unravel the identity of the assailants.

    He added that the police were determined to devise ways to end the bloodletting in the country.

    “I was in Enugu and the Commissioner of Police has briefed me that arrests have been made, and from the interrogation, we should be able to situate their identities.

    “We should be able to establish whether they are herdsmen or mercenaries who are coming to destabilise our way of life,’’ Arase said.

    He explained that the recent ban on sale of petrol in jerry cans did not affect those that needed the product for their generators.

    “It is not targeted at people carrying out their legitimate business; for instance, if you need it to power your generator, we will not harass you.

    “It is targeted at people who are hoarding and selling,’’ he said, adding that the ban had been amended to “reflect the true intent of what we are doing’’.

    Earlier in his paper entitled “Police and Public Partnership in Prevention and Control of Violent Crimes and Conflicts in Nigeria’’, Arase restated that the police must work with the public to achieve their mandate.

    According to him, several reforms have been initiated to entrench cordial relationship between the police and the public.

    In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Hayward Mafuyai, commended the IG for the lecture, describing it as thought-provoking.

    Mafuyai said the lecture was to educate the university community and the public on some pertinent issues on policing and crime prevention.

    He expressed confidence that the public had benefited from security tips offered by the police boss.

  • Enugu killings: Community calls for government intervention

    Enugu killings: Community calls for government intervention

    The people of Uzo-Uwani communities in Enugu state have called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to stop further attacks of its communities by herdsmen who cross into the area from the neighbouring Kogi State.

    In a statement issued at the end of an emergency meeting of Uzo-Uwani Professionals Association in Abuja, the group frowned at the recent attack of Nimbo community in the local government by Fulani herdsmen who crossed over from Kogi state during which more than forty lives were lost and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

    The association also warned that the people of Uzo-Uwani‎ will no longer fold their arms and watch any group pr individuals attack communities in the area for the single objective of killing, maiming of people and the destruction of communities.

    The press statement which was signed by Mr. Peter Anjia Okoye, President, UZPA, stated that about one hundred people were wounded during the attack and are still in hospital receiving treatment.
    The Group said: “For the avoidance of doubt, about one hundred persons who were wounded during the incident are receiving ‎treatment in hospitals at Nsukka and Adani, while two more bodies were discovered yesterday during the visit of the Governor of Enugu state to the community.

    “We are aware of the tension building up in some of the communities in the local government especially four other towns listed as those likely to be attacked and therefore, call on the government to deploy troops and police mobile units to all the communities in the local government.

    “We also demand the immediate constitution of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry by the Federal Government to unravel the real motives behind the unprovoked attacks of our communities. For Instance, we need to know why despite warnings, the police and military were unable to deploy to the area.

    “We need to know if truly, a Fulani chief was killed in a farm settlement in Igalamala Council Area of Kogi state and why our people are being attacked ostesibly in retaliation for that, we also need to know why the Divisional Police Unit in Uzo-Uwani were unable to respond as quickly as it should during the attack.

    “We also need to know why police in Kogi could not prevent the movement of such number of herdsmen without their livestock despite warnings to the Kogi police of the plan to attack communities in Enugu. We also need to know why up till now the Police is unable to apprehend any suspect in the event.”

    The Association further urged National urged National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently come to the assistance of displaced people of the area, many of whom are now living in squatter settlements especially in Nsukka, Uvuru, Nkpologu, Ugbene-Ajima and Omasi Agu in Anambra state.

  • Reps ask IG to probe Enugu killings

    Reps ask IG to probe Enugu killings

    The House of Representatives has mandated Inspector General of Police  Solomon Arase to investigate the killings allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Enugu State.

    Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Lawal Daura was also summoned to brief the House on measures being put in place by his agency to stop the killings.

    The probe, according to the lawmakers, is to ascertain the cause as well as bring those culpable to book.

    The decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP, Enugu). He expressed regret that findings have shown that a number of persons have been declared missing with their whereabouts unknown.

    He said the recurring killings by the Fulani herdsmen threaten the security of the country and added: “Eye witness account indicates that this mayhem was perpetuated by an army of masked herdsmen emerging from the bushes and attacking their victims with careless abandon.”

     

     

    “These merchants of death were armed with guns bow and arrows, swords and engaged in sporadic shooting for a lengthy period of time, sending shivers into the inhabitant of this community and hacking any person within sight to death”.

    Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) said the issue of conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and host communities over grazing must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

    “Rearing should be done in confined zones but it is important to address this issue once and for all,” he added.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

     

  • Fulani herdsmen: Reps ask IGP to investigate Enugu killings

    Fulani herdsmen: Reps ask IGP to investigate Enugu killings

    The House of Representatives has mandated the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase to investigate the killings allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Enugu State.

    The Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Lawal Daura has also been summoned to brief the House about measures being put in place by his agency to stop the killings.

    The aim of the investigation, according to the lawmakers is to ascertain the causes as well as bring those culpable to book.

    The decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP, Enugu), regretted that findings have shown that a number of persons have been declared missing with their whereabouts unknown.

    Saying that the recurring killings by the Fulani herdsmen threatens the security of the country, Ujam added, “Eye witnesses account indicates that this mayhem was perpetuated by an army of masked herdsmen emerging from the bushes and attacking their victims with careless abandon.

    “These merchants of death were armed with guns bow and arrows, swords and engaged in sporadic shooting for a lengthy period of time, sending shivers into the inhabitant of this community and hacking any person within sight to death.”

    In his contribution, the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) said the issue of conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and host communities over grazing must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

    “Rearing should be done in confined zones but it is important to address this issue once and for all,” he added.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara