Enugu writes Attorney General, seeks trial of Ukpabi-Nimbo massacre suspects

The Enugu State government has asked the attorney general of the federation and the inspector general of police for the case file of the suspects arrested on the herdsmen’s invasion of Ukpabi Nimbo, Uzouwani Council, in which 11 persons died, for prosecution.

The request followed the refusal of the Kogi State High Court to grant application for leave to enable the IG to prefer charges against the five suspects arrested on May 25th and the suit by the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) against the attorney general of the state over his alleged inability to prosecute the suspects.

Mohammed Zurai, Ciroma Musa, Saleh Adamu, Suleiman Laute and Haruna Laute have been arrested and paraded by the police over the massacre, stressing that there were overwhelming evidence, which included video recording of the incident found on one of the suspects.

In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Enugu, CRRAN further asked for an order on the state government to charge the suspects to court or an order granting their release should the government continue to delay in their prosecution.

However, the letter to the attorney general of the federation, dated September 26 and signed by the state’s Attorney general, M.E Eze, stated that transmitting the original police case file would enable the state to “institute and undertake the prosecution of the suspects pursuant to Section 211 of the constitution of Nigeria and all other laws enabling me in that behalf since the incident took place in Enugu State.”

The senator representing Enugu North, Chukwuka Utazi had in June this year, asked the attorney general to commence a proper trial of the suspects in Enugu since the crime was committed there.

The senator had reasoned that such trial in Enugu would save the witnesses the challenge of moving outside the state for the purpose of the matter. Utazi emphasised the need for justice for the dead, the deprived, the displaced and those who live in constant fear of attack in their own land.