The Uzo-Uwani local government chairman, Mr. Chijioke Ezugwu, is allegedly being summoned by the Enugu State police command, and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth wing has criticised this.
The group warned that it would have to call on the Igbo youths to stage a massive demonstration if the persecution of the LG chairman persisted.
According to the Naijatrial, the residents of Uzo-Uwani have been protected by stepping up internal security measures after a herdsmen rampage murdered hundreds of people in recent weeks.
But the head of the council was reportedly summoned to the state police command headquarters with the vigilante group, as reported by SaharaReporters.
The media outlet states that the council chairman was questioned by the DCP, who is from the north, on the accusations of herdsmen killings.
“The objective was to thwart the council chairman’s efforts to apprehend the abductors and convicted felons who have been using their guise as shepherds to sow fear among the populace.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide National President Mazi Okwu Nnabuike has spoken out against the rumoured summons of the council chairman, calling it inappropriate.
The herders have killed multiple people in Uzo-Uwani, but the police have made no real attempt to apprehend them. In contrast, the council chairman has been summoned to ensure the safety of his people, according to Okwu, who is pressing the police to come honest about the accusation.
“Their silence means that indeed the council chairman was summoned for protecting his people,” he added, adding that the group had waited for the police to deny the story.
“The cases there are underreported,” the Ohanaeze youth president said, adding that the situation in Uzo-Uwani was even worse than in Benue. Abductions for ransom or unjustified attacks on local villages are practically daily occurrences among Fulani herdsmen.
The cold-blooded murder of a 90-year-old man and his wife ranks among the worst crimes. However, the cops have failed to apprehend the killers or halt the slaughter in any of these cases.
“The vigilante groups that stepped up to defend their communities were the only solace, because the police had failed to do their jobs.”
Instead of working with the council boss to maintain the efforts, he added, the police chose to incite the culprits by extending such a summons to the chairman, which was inappropriate.
The public may view the Enugu State Police Command as “emboldening those killing, maiming, and sacking communities in Uzo-Uwani and other parts of Enugu State unless they come clean about the allegations,” he said. The only way out of this harassment is to gather all the Igbo youths for a massive demonstration.”