STOP INCESSANT POLICE INTIMIDATION & ARREST IN OUR COMMUNITY: PROTESTING ANAMBRA YOUTHS BEG IGP
REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Youths of Isuaniocha Community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to urgently look into what they called incessant arrests of people from the town by some police operatives.
The youth numbering more than eighty alleged that some individuals in the community were using their wealth to invite police and other security operatives to intimidate, harass and arrest them without any established offence or crime committed.
The youth, who chatted solidarity songs, carried placards with inscriptions “Isuaniocha People are crying for help, Governor Soludo come to our aid,” “Governor Soludo, Isuaniocha People are dying please Save us from brutality,” and “IGP please intervene,”as they marched through the Civic Center in the community.”
Their spokesperson and Youth Leader, Ozor Onyemazu Ngini, narrated that there had been crisis in the town since 2017 when Mr. Tony Onyeagolu, was the President General and after one year in office, he allegedly began to have misunderstanding with the people.
According to the Youth Leader, the crisis led to the death of some individuals in the area and also caused destruction of property.
Ozo Ngini claimed that upon observing that the community was making efforts to elect a new President General and have a traditional ruler o, the same suspected people started using the police and other security agents to harass and intimidate him and others who are out to ensure that peace was returned to Isuaniocha .
Ozo Ngini said all that youths and other residents want is for the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Echeng Echeng and the Anambra State Government to be aware of what is happening in Isuaniocha Community where some persons wre using few corrupt police officers to destabilize the town.
Another youth, who gave his name as Mr. Chukwuma expressed regret that the situation had put a clog in the wheels of development in the area while youths continue to abandon their jobs and run away due to incessant police intimidation.
Reacting to the allegations, the former President General of Isuaniocha Mr. Tony Onyeagolu, denied any involvement in the alleged killing of persons or destruction of property in the area, noting that he was equally arrested by the police in 2020 and was in detention for 6 months and two weeks after which the matter was taken to court.
In a telephone interview, the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga said police only come to the aid of civilians to maintain law and order as well as to make sure that lives and property are protected.
Mr. Ikenga advised the protesting youths to write an official letter to the Command to look into matter.
The people of Isuaniocha Community are expectant that the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and the Anambra State Government would urgently come to their aid by finding a lasting peace to the crisis tearing apart the community and stopping the development of the area.
