From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
Following the viral video circulating on social media showing suspected members of Anambra State Anti Touting Agents brutalising a suspect, the state government has vowed to prosecute the erring officials.
Commissioner for Homeland Affairs Chikodi Anara disclosed this in a press statement made available to newsmen in Awka.
Anara said his office was alerted to a viral video on the arrest and manhandling of one Wilfred Ezike, also known as Mgbiligba by SASA operatives and described the act as inhuman.
“I really feel bad that an incident of that nature took place. I have felt bad all through the day since somebody posted the video to me. It is true that some people are unrepentantly committed to various criminalities on the basis of which innocent citizens remain in miserable conditions running their legitimate day to day life, but we must handle human beings according to prescriptions of the law, no matter their offence.”
“Our government is law abiding, and that is why we must fish out the SASA operatives involved in the incident under reference and punish them accordingly.”
It is also true that we are resolute to stamp out “agberos,” but that must happen within confines of the laws of the land. Interestingly, people have been commenting and reacting. This shows life in an organised democracy. Some of them allege various levels of atrocities committed by Wilfred Ezike for which he ought to have been more severely manhandled and brought to book while counter narratives insist that he should not be manhandled at
The Commissioner alleged that state government was informed that there was widespread jubilation among Onitsha traders and ‘keke’ operators when they heard about the arrest, adding that the victim was alleged to be dreaded criminal.
“Other comments are that SASA operatives may have been enraged because, according to them, he wrote a petition against them falsely alleging that they killed somebody along Niger Street, Onitsha. SASA was further quoted as saying that he did that to commence his effort to cripple its job so as to continue his unholly business. Police investigation is said to support SASA’s position that the petition was unfounded.”