At least 1,000 Awka indigenes, including men and women, on Wednesday, protested against what they described as the “mindless killings of their kiths and kin by cultists”, even as they alleged that some police officers in the state were aiding and abetting the cultists and cult-related activities in the Anambra State capital.
The protesters marched from the popular Ogbugbankwa Park to Eke-Awka Roundabout, from there to Igwebuike, Parkers Junction, Ukwu Orji, Area Command, and then back to Ogbugbankwa.
They carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Enough is enough”, “Say no to bribery and corruption”, “We are not happy”, and “Our children, brothers, husbands, cousins, relatives are being killed on a daily basis”.
They carried a mock coffin, which they said signalled the burial of the cultists, just as they gave a seven-day ultimatum to the Anambra State Police Command to do the needful by arresting the perpetrators.
It was gathered that the protesters were drawn from Ezinano community and 20 villages in Awka.
The Chairman of Ezinano Community, Tochukwu Nwokoye, said they embarked on the peaceful protest with the aim of bringing to an end the activities of cultists in Awka.
Nwokoye said, “It is our humble hope to have these cult-related killings to stop forthwith. Our brothers are going down on a daily basis due to cultism and cult-related attacks. We will not keep quiet and watch these heinous crimes and man’s inhumanity to man to continue.
“It is time to put a stop to them. We are really in a very touchy situation. There is palpable fear everywhere. We cannot go back and come back in peace. We are really afraid. People are dying every day.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Richard Onuorah, stated that the community would no longer condone the killings and maiming of their people.
Onuorah explained that they had cried their eyes out every day owing to the incessant cult-related killings in the community, even as he called for the immediate removal of some police officers in the command.
Onuorah urged the police hierarchy to immediately remove the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, and the inspector working directly under him, alleging that they were aiding and abetting cultism in the area.
When contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said the police could not descend so low as to compromise security in the state capital by shielding cultists, even as he promised that the force would investigate the matter.
Ikenga said, “Those they mentioned their names are very experienced officers. They have been around, especially the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the SCID.
These officers mentioned will be investigated. We cannot sweep the allegations under the carpet. We must do a thorough investigation.
“As you can see, the state is mourning the former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinju. We will not want to heat up the state. We have asked the families of the deceased several times to come forward and prove their cases.
“The allegation that the Deputy Commissioner of Police was recently transferred from Rivers State is false. He has been around. We know his antecedents, that’s not to say that we’ll not investigate all the allegations levelled against the police.
“Awka has been relatively peaceful. We are working with the community and they have been providing us with vital information which led to the arrest of a notorious killer who is currently helping us out in investigation.
“He equally confessed to all manner of atrocious acts he had carried out in Awka. We are here to maintain law and order and not to cause chaos.”
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