•Harass, rob, torture passers-by
•Police embark on massive arrest

By Chinenyeh Ozor

Uneasy calm has pervaded the university town of Nsukka, Enugu State, following allegations of involvement of masquerades in the increasing acts of robbery, torture and extortion of money from unsuspecting victims.

Enugu-Masquerade

To this end, the Police in the area have swung into action with a view to curtailing their excesses. Already, two masquerades are in police net over reports of torture and extortion.

Attack on the police

Crime Guard gathered that the two masquerades in police custody were arrested at Nru Community after engaging the police team in physical combat. Onlookers were also alleged to have assisted the masquerades by stoning the police and jeering. The Police managed to arrest two while others fled into nearby communities and bushes.

It was learnt that a combined team of policemen from both the Area Command and Nsukka Division intervened following complaints from different quarters of brutality, extortion and blockage of roads along Ugwu-Nkwo, Orba Road and Nru Junction.

Reports of harassment

The complainants also reported that unsuspecting passers-by were being unduly harassed, maimed and even compelled to part with their hard-earned money or face the wrath of the masquerades. Based on this, a combined team of policemen from the Area Command and Nsukka Urban Police Division swung into action and managed to arrest the two.
Reports also revealed that the two masquerades brutally attacked a staff of Radio Nigeria, Dream FM Station, Nsukka, and an academic doctor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who lodged complaints with the Police, prompting the movement of policemen in their numbers into the communities.

Masquerades open up

The two masquerades spoke to Crime Guard separately. The first simply identified as Omeje Ugochukwu (22) said he hails from Amaozalla Community in Nsukka Local Government Area (LGA), Enugu State, said: “I was arrested in connection with some masquerades that operated in the morning hours. They reportedly broke someone’s head in an attempt to collect money, and escaped. The masquerades were celebrating the annual festival in Ihe/Owere autonomous community aimed at entertaining inhabitants, visitors to the community and the university town at large, but not to maim people. I use the masquerade to beg for money to support myself as an welding apprentice but not to apply force to compel people to give me money. The masquerades that operated in the early hours of that day were more volatile, extorting and whipping people with all manners of wickedness. I did not know that the men after the masquerades were policemen as they wore plain clothes. I had no dangerous weapon on me but only a small whip and palm front when I was arrested with the other masquerades. What I collected before my arrest and detention was only N20.”

Arrest of woman as masquerade

The second masquerade who identified himself as Anayo Ezema (23) said he hails from Isi-Uja in Ihe/Owere Community. “I am a vulcanizer. .
I just came to participate in the evening session when I met a man and appealed to him to give me money. We were asking the man to drop the money on the ground as masquerades do not collect money by hand from people when police enveloped and arrested the two of us. The accusation that we beat and broke someone’s head in the morning while wearing masquerade is not true. We did not engage the police in any physical challenge. I am surprised how my sister was arrested in connection with the masquerade assault. It is unheard of for a woman to wear masquerade in Igbo land.”

Earlier attack

A similar ugly scenario played out two weeks ago, after two masquerades at Obukpa Community along Obollo-Afor Road robbed one Chinoso Ezewaji, a trader of N57,000 and his handset. The two masquerades were identified as Kenechukwu Eze and Chima Mama.

Police reacts

The Area Commander, Nigeria Police Command, Nsukka, ACP Musa Haladu while confirming the arrest of the two masquerades, advised communities in the command not to allow masquerades disturb people from going about their normal businesses, adding that every community in the country has one culture or the other which should not be used to disturb the existing peace in a community. He warned that Nsukka is an urban town that has the mixture of different people and culture.

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amarizu, had earlier issued a statement that communities should regulate and monitor those who wear masquerades as some of them hide under it to harass, intimidate and rob people. “The Police is not against any culture but community leaders must know the character of people they allow to wear masquerades in the name of culture. A masquerade has no right to mount road block on any road where motorists, cyclists and other road users ply on daily basis,” he warned.