From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A civil rights group , the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has called on the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye to acknowledge and reward handsomely four members of Ejighinandu vigilante unit, Awka-Etiti community, Anambra state and an intelligence undercover attached to them identified as Ray for the noble roles they played recently in busting a criminal gang that kidnapped a driver and made away with a highlander jeep belonging to a catholic priest in Anambra.
In a statement signed by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Obianuju Igboeli Esq, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Program and Chidinma Udegbunam, Esq Head, Campaign and Publicity , Intersociety disclosed that that on Friday, March 7, 2024 around 7am at Ezinifite-Aguata Roundabout, a group of violent criminals blocked a Toyota Highlander SUV with Reg. No. Lagos GGE 408, belonging to Parish Priest of the St Pius Catholic Church in Amaekwulu, Ezinifite, Aguata LGA of Anambra State, Reverend Father Barrister Chinedu Obieri, snatched it at gunpoint and made away with it.
It said an aide to the Parish Priest had gone to drop the Parish Priest’s relative at Amaekwulu-Ezinifite Roundabout in the morning of the said date during which the SUV vehicle was snatched at gunpoint.
“The snatchers had during the incident pushed off the relative of the Parish Priest and drove off with the driver of the vehicle. Be further informed, Sir that five days later in the early morning of Tuesday, March 12, 2024 around 5.35am, a ‘stop-and-search’ was conducted along Igboukwu-Awka-Etiti-Nnobi Road by four-member team of the “Ejighinandu Unit of the Awka-Etiti Vigilante Group” led to the scene by one “Nwaobosi” and while the above was going on, a Toyota Highlander SUV made a dangerous overtake and hit the side gutter of St Joseph Catholic Church, Awka-Etiti; forcing the vehicle’s airbag to bust and five occupants of the vehicle to make a run after their attempts to open fire went dead. The “Ejighinandu Vigilante Unit” of the Awka-Etiti Vigilante Group is under the general coordination of Hon Jude Mmadubuko.”
“It was further gathered that during the melee, the gallant vigilantes pursued two of the five occupants of the Highlander SUV, overpowered and arrested them alive while three others escaped. The arrested two were taken back to the vehicle where four loaded AK-47 Rifles and nine Magazines were recovered. It was immediately after that an Intelligence Under-cover attached to Vigilantes in the area (Mr. Ray) was alerted and contacts were swiftly made to the Nnobi Police Station.
“Mr. Ray also conducted preliminary investigations before contacting the Officer-in-Charge of the Anambra State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) who in turn put a distress call across to you (CP) from where the matter was reported and the two arrested violent criminal suspects (an indigene of Ezinifite-Aguata and an indigene of Okija) transferred to Awkuzu SARS till date.
“The Intelligence Under-cover also found that members of the violent criminal gang operate around Owelle-Ezukala-Ogbunka Forest axis. The driver of the Highlander SUV was yet to be found after he was taken away by at Ezinifite Roundabout on March 7, 2024. It is also informed that Parish Priest of the St Joseph Catholic Church, Awka-Etiti, Reverend Father Paul Ihebighi assisted the Parish Priest of St Pius Catholic Church in Amaekwulu-Ezinifite (Aguata) by informing him of the recovery of the Toyota Highlander SUV with Reg. No. Lagos GGE 408 belonging to him”.
“We hereby call on you, Sir, to acknowledge and handsomely reward the four gallant members of the “Ejighinandu Unit of the Awka-Etiti Vigilante Group” and an Intelligence Under-cover attached to them (Mr. Ray). Acknowledging and handsomely rewarding them will not only encourage them and others like them but also be tantamount to “giving honor to whom honor is due”.
“We are unhappy with what we read in the media recently where facts of the matter were substantially misrepresented. It must be pointed out that no single police officer was involved in the early morning ‘stop-and-search’ conducted by the named vigilantes. The incident took place at Awka-Etiti and not in Nnobi as wrongly reported in the media.
In all , Intersociety called on the Commissioner of Police to ensure that roles, efforts and breakthroughs recorded by various vigilante groups across the State during law enforcement duties with or without police patrol teams shall be publicly acknowledged and their achievers handsomely rewarded by the State Police Command.
The group also said the recovered SUV Highlander Vehicle belonging to Reverend Father Chinedu Obieri of St Pius Catholic Church, Amaekwulu-Ezinifite (Aguata) must also be returned to him unconditionally.