Enugu CP denies plans to undermine Nimbo massacre

Contrary to popular opinions that the police was planning to undermine investigations into the Nimbo-Uzouwani incident, that claimed many lives and property few weeks ago, Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, has ruled out any such plans.

Addressing reporters in Enugu yesterday, Ojukwu said the fact that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has set up an investigation team to unravel the incident, lent credence to the seriousness the police attached to it.

He identified kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, land disputes among communities and attacks by herdsmen, as major security issues facing the state, explaining however that the police has the capacity to handle them.

The CP paraded over 30 suspects involved in different crimes in the state.“There is no attempt to trivialize the Nimbo incident. Nobody is sweeping the matter under the carpet. We are doing our best to ensure that what happened there is brought to public glare,” he said.

Stating that the IGP’s team was already on ground to investigate the issue, he promised that police would ensure that such incident does not repeat itself in the community or any part of the state.

“We will not compromise in our constitutional obligations and this is to reassure the residents that we are capable of protecting their lives and property,” he added.

Ojukwu, who assumed duties in the state last week, following the redeployment of the former commissioner, Elochukwu Nwodibo to Port Harcourt, said the command has mapped out strategies to ensure that residents would sleep with their eyes closed.

He disclosed that among the arrests made were those of ten men from Igboeze North local council accused of kidnapping and manufacturing of firearms.

According to him, activities of the suspects were being aided by an 80-year old man, whose name was given as Thomas Abugu, stressing that several locally made guns were recovered from his residence when a search was made.

Paraded also were two daughters of a woman, who were said to have conspired to kidnap their mother, with the intention of getting the sum of N2.5 m from their elder brother, who lives in Lagos.

The CP also cited the arrest of another team involved in the kidnap of a nine-year-old boy in Enugu Ezike last month.According to him, the arrests were made without the payment of ransom, even as he added that the suspects in the clash of two cult groups at Nkanu, which led to the death of one person, have been arrested.The arrest of one Chukwuka Nwanonye, accused of committing incest with his eight months old baby, was also confirmed.