HURIWA tasks IGP, Enugu CP, DSS on fresh killings, alleges political motivations

• Sustain fight against crime, Anambra CP tells officers
• Commend operatives for repelling attacks on Aguata, Neni

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman Baba and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police (CP), Abubakar Lawal, to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of fresh killings in the state.

It also tasked the Director- General of the Directorate of States Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to investigate killings and uncover the politicians sponsoring violence in Enugu with the aim of scuttling the development strides of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.

In a statement issued in Abuja by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group alleged that the killings were politically motivated considering that the two major political parties in the state have been having leadership crisis in Enugu State.

HURIWA recalled that in January 2022, gunmen killed the youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Kelvin Ezeoha, and one other person.

“The gunmen, who were said to have attacked a meeting being of the Ward 3 Obeagu Awkunanaw, Enugu South Council chapter of the party, also kidnapped another person whose identity could not be ascertained.

“Also in February, barely days after some security officers were killed in Enugu, bandits shot and killed another team of four policemen on the outskirts of Enugu.

Lamenting the frequent bloodbath in Enugu lately, Onwubiko, urged the police hierarchy to live up to their responsibility of safeguarding life and property and end to the reign of terror in the state.

MEANWHILE, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police (CP), Echeng Echeng, has charged police operatives under the command to sustain and increase the tempo of the fight against crime in the state.

Echeng gave the charge in Awka, the state capital, while reacting to the successful repel of attacks by hoodlums on Aguata and Neni Divisional Headquarters on Sunday evening.

A statement issued by the command’s spokesman, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, revealed that the operatives neutralised four of the hoodlums and recovered ammunition of different calibers among other items.

“The operatives demobilised four of the armed hoodlums and recovered 17 pieces of 7.62mm live ammunition for AK 47 rifle, 107 pieces of expended 7.62mm ammunition for AK 47 rifle, seven expended cartridges for pump action gun and 10 pieces expended 7.62mm rifle, among other items.

Also in the Neni Division, the gunmen fled the scene due to the superior firepower of the police operatives on duty leaving the two stations intact.