The intractable conflict between Aku Community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State and their Ikolo neighbours in the same council area has claimed several lives on both sides.
Early last month, three boys from Aku were allegedly kidnapped by Ikolo people when they went to the community in search of herbal medicine for the treatment of their ailing mother.
When the boys could not be found, the matter was immediately reported to the police. Friends, family members, and Aku youths went on a search party for the missing persons.
The search team was allegedly ambushed by armed Ikolo people which resulted in the shooting and killing of four of them while scores sustained gunshot injuries.
Recently, Aku women marched to the Igbo-Etiti Police Division protesting over the alleged kidnap and killing of their community members.
They also demanded the immediate sack of the Divisional Crime Officer 2 (DCO2) at the police division, whom they alleged contributed to the kidnap and killing of Aku people through his actions and inactions.
The women sang sorrowful songs and wielded placards with different inscriptions calling on Governor Peter Mbah and the State Commissioner of Police, to rescue them from the evil hands of the said officer.
Their leader, Mrs. Serina Eze who spoke to newsmen alleged that the said officer aided Ikolo people in the kidnap and murder of Aku people: “We demand that he releases our children whom he colluded with Ikolo people to kidnap. We have waited so long for their return but we are yet to see or hear from them.
“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Governor Peter Mbah, and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to our rescue.”
Secretary of the aggrieved women, Mrs Justina Ogbu, accused the officer of aborting a police operation aimed at searching and finding the missing boys: “When our boys joined efforts with the Nigeria police to in search of our missing children, they got very close to the location as indicated by their phone tracker, only for DCO 2, to abort the operation with flimsy excuses.
“If he is not working with Ikolo people, why did he abort the operation when they got close to rescuing our missing children?
“The tracker has shown they were there. Why not proceed with the operation if he is not working with Ikolo people?
Addressing the protesters, the DPO, Kelvin Nwagu, thanked them for conducting themselves peacefully and assured that their demands would be communicated to the State Commissioner of Police: “We have heard your demands and I thank you for your peaceful conduct. Be rest assured that your demands will be treated with immediate effect. We are here to protect and serve you.”
However, the embattled officer, denied the allegations saying that he acted according to his instincts having perceived danger: “We went for a search operation and when I anticipated danger ahead, I called off the operation and I told the search party that we would reinforce because we were few and our operational vehicle was not in good condition, but along the line, Aku youths started mobilizing themselves against me.”
