From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A Canadian returnee from Amakamma Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area, of Abia State, Chidiebere Eluwa, has called for the disbandment of a group parading as a local vigilante in the community.
Making the call in Umuahia, Eluwa alleged that the group had become a source of fear and threat to the people. He accused the group of becoming a willing tool of oppression against hapless citizens. Eluwa alleged that the group attacked him at the invitation of his nephews when he attempted to evict them from his father’s house.
He said his nephews – the sons of his sister, have been living in his father’s house for many years after his sister had issues with the husband. He alleged that the said nephews had become a source of discomfort, both to his aged father and their mother, hence, his decision to eject them from the house for peace to reign.
“I came back from Canada just to make sure there’s peace in my father’s house because I’m the only son. I gave money to my nephews to rent an apartment elsewhere, so that my father, who is very old, and my sister can have peace”.
Eluwa said he decided to report them to the Area Police Command Umuahia, where he was assigned five policemen to arrest them.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com)
On sighting the police, according to him, the nephews took to their heels while the policeman chased after them, leaving only one cop with their van. He said the fleeing nephews invited the said vigilance group who stormed the scene with automatic rifles and descended on the policeman keeping the police van.
“When these guys came, they met one policeman with the police truck. They beat him black and blue and grabbed his gun. Then the other policemen pursuing my nephews came back to the aid of their colleague. But, by then, some of the vigilance groups had made away with the AK 47 of the policeman. But because he held their commander to the ground, other policemen insisted that he would not be freed until the AK 47 was returned. It took about two hours for the police gun to be returned. The commander was later arrested, but my nephews and others are still at large.”
Eluwa, who claimed threat to his life, wondered why the police had not gone to conduct a search in the house of the commander of the said vigilance group, more so after the beating of a cop by his men. He, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police to come to the aid of the community and investigate the activities of the said vigilance group.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chinaka, told newsmen such a matter had not yet come to her notice. She advised the complainant to petition the commissioner of police detailing what happened, including the alleged threat to his life, for proper investigations.