Tension in Enugu community over release of alleged murder suspect
18 July 2022 |
3:40 am
Tension is brewing in Nkpologu community in Uzo-Uwani Local Council of Enugu State over the release of Chief Security officer of the council, Chijioke Ezugwu, who allegedly led the attack that resulted in the death of a 22-year- old boy, Philip Okoro two weeks ago.
Abubakar Lawal
Tension is brewing in Nkpologu community in Uzo-Uwani Local Council of Enugu State over the release of Chief Security officer of the council, Chijioke Ezugwu, who allegedly led the attack that resulted in the death of a 22-year- old boy, Philip Okoro two weeks ago.
It was gathered that youths in the community are planning to protest at the office of the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Lawal, over what they described as “truncation of justice”.
Recall that Ezugwu, fortnight ago, led a team of Neighbourhood Watch personnel, who raided the home of the late Philip at Nkpologu at about 1:00a.m. last two weeks and shot him in the process, resulting in his death, a day after.
A member of the community, Joe Atom, who confirmed the release of Ezugwu said: “It is true that Police have released Chijioke Ezugwu, who was involved in the killing of Philip Okoro since last Friday. Instead of coming to our community, he decided to stay at his Enugu residence at Maryland, Enugu.
“As it stands, youths from my community are planning a protest to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, to register our grievances. What the police did was truncation of justice.”
Enugu State Police Command is yet to respond to inquiry on the matter. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, did not reply text messages at his request as he claimed to be in a meeting when he was called.
However, when the incident happened two weeks ago, the Command in a statement by Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Police Command, Abuabar Lawal, had ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) to conduct a full-scale investigation into the case of alleged shooting of Philip Okoro, 22, by the Vigilante at Nkpologwu community in Uzo-Uwani Local Council in June 29, 2022.
He said: “The victim was rushed to the hospital and later confirmed dead on June 30, 2022 at about 3:00.p.m, by doctors on duty and his corpse deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
“Consequently, two members of the vigilante group directly linked to the shooting and murder of the victim have been arrested. They include: one Annene Idu, alleged to have shot the deceased, and Chijioke Ezugwu, the Chief Security Officer of the council said to have led the vigilantes to the scene of the incident to arrest hard drugs dealers. Additionally, the pump action rifle used for the act has been recovered.
“Meanwhile, in protest over the death of the said victim, angry mob set ablaze the house of the mentioned team leader. But, the fire was put out by police operatives who swiftly mobilised to the scene on receipt of a distress call, before the building could be burnt down.
“Normalcy has been restored in the area, while the CP has entreated residents of the community to remain law-abiding and avoid acts capable of breaching public peace in the area, while supporting the police in the ongoing investigation.”
However, a police source hinted that the suspect was released after some people intervened in the case by prevailing on police authorities in the state.
The source expressed worries that the police hastily released the suspect without carrying out thorough investigation to fish out all the members of the vigilante group involved in the operation that led to the death of the innocent boy.
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