By Chinenyeh Ozor; Nsukka

The people of Aji, an agrarian community in Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North Local government area, Enugu State, are at present living in fear. This is as a result of the release of seven members of a rival vigilante group by the police in Abuja after they were arrested for alleged gruesome murder of some indigenes of the community,early this year.

PROTESTS OVER KILLINGS

It was gathered that the death of two illustrious sons of the community around March, 2014, sparked off wild protests in the area leading to the swift intervention of crack detectives from Force headquarters, Abuja. This was after the police in Enugu allegedly foot-dragged over the nefarious activities of the suspects which the community alleged were severally reported to them. Worse still, members of the community alleged also that the government of Enugu blatantly looked the other way after series of reports about the mastermind of the killings in the community who is a top government official, were made to them.

LEADER GIVES ACCOUNT

A leader in the area, Chief Ignatius Ugwuanyija who recalled how their sons were gruesomely killed by the suspects told Crime Guard that they were sent to their graves within one month. ‘’It started with Oforma Itodo. He was slain on March 3, 2014, barely four days after burying his mother.   He was butchered like a fowl. Two weeks later, another son of the community, Obinna Onoja, was also hacked to death on flimsy reasons that he allegedly stole buckets of paint from the building site of the top Enugu government official who hails from the community.

VIGILANTE STORM VICTIM’S HOUSE

‘’ On that fateful day, members of the vigilante group who have been terrorizing the community at the instance of the top government employee went to the residence of Obinna’s parents and told them that they were sent to fetch him by the government official. The faces of the group members were known to the mother of the victim. After few days, he never came back and his mother went to ask of him only to be told that he was hale and hearty in their custody. They could not take any action because the government official and members of his vigilante group were dreaded by all in the area. From then till now, the poor man has not been seen and the family and concerned members of the community are unable to take any action because they felt that the government official was untouchable and could no be questioned because of his connections with Igbo Eze North police and Enugu State Criminal Investigations Department, CID.

EXPLOITS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL

“The government official sat on the matter even after some brave members of the the community raised alarm and duly informed the police. However, since the parents of Obinna are wretched and are even unable to fight their case judicially, the government official exploited their poor condition and sat on the matter by making sure that it never saw the light of day.

ARREST OF SUSPECTS

‘’Then came a temporary relief after we petitioned Force Headquarters, Abuja and the Inspector-General of Police graciously hearkened to our pleas and sent down a team of crack detectives to round up all the suspects we mentioned. As soon as they were arrested, the government official flew to Abuja and spent just one week only to come back boasting openly that they would soon regain their freedom.

BACK TO SQUARE ONE

It came to pass barely few months later as they stormed the village one early morning and since then, their nefarious activities have worsened. Nobody dare challenge them and we are all living in fear till date.’’

Investigations by Crime Guard revealed that barely few weeks after their release, the killings have started again. This time around,a mother of five children, Cecilia Ijeh from Umuodoeje village in the community was murdered on Nov. 2, 2014 and her lifeless body dumped inside a water tank in the village.

INCREASE IN CRIME

Following this development, crime has also risen uncontrollably in the community while anxiety has gripped the residents. Meanwhile, the alleged killer group members are said to be moving freely, boasting that their ‘godfather’ remains unchallenged in the affairs of the community while their traditional ruler, Igwe Simon Osisi Itodo, as the Chief security officer of the community, groans in agony and total disappointment.

POLICE AUTOPSY

Worse still, bodies of the slain members of the community are said to be   lying at an undisclosed mortuary in the state, while police investigation has allegedly been concluded even after the autopsy carried out on the serial killings indicated brutal murder. The autopsy report dated July 9, 2014, which was carried out in the presence of Sani Sunday,(ASP) as investigating police officer (IPO, Inspector Sunday Onah, Abuja and Corporal Paul Evarest, Enugu stated unequivocally that Oforma was well until several injuries resulting from matchete cuts led to heavy loss of blood.

PRESIDENT OF TOWN UNION OPENS UP

Speaking to Crime Guard over the ugly development, the President-General of the town union, Chief Arumah Thaddeus,pointed accusing fingers at the government official whom he alleged was the mastermind and sponsor of the killings.

‘’I made observations that both the town union, the neighbourhood watch and Onyishi (eldest man) palace are threatened as some people were bent on hijacking the three arms of government existing in Aji community.

COURT ORDER

‘’Some of the elders have compromised and had since been silent while our people are living in fear just because of one man. There is a parallel town union; one was at the instance of some people who used officers of Enugu state government and the commissioner to select caretaker committee. We contested it in the court of law because there was no provision for care- taker committee in our constitution. The court granted an injunction and ordered the other group to stop parading themselves as caretaker committee. The threat is still on because the other group has failed to obey court order. This is a serious threat to the

town because the court restored powers of the town union. The security network is at the prerogative of the traditional ruler.

PARARELL SECURITY

‘’On the issue of parallel security outfit in the community, someone forced a team of barbarians on us as the elected neighbourhood watch. Aji had an election and one man (NAME WITHELD) was imposed us as the chairman of the neighbourhood watch.   The government official convinced Enugu state ministry for poverty

alleviation officials and imposed the team that has failed the community. They dance glaringly to the tune of their master. When it was obvious that the hand was that of Esau and the voice of Jacob, we moved to Enugu state commissioner of police to discus the issue. The commissioner pointed that the traditional ruler is the chief security officer in any community and no body should have parallel security in a community as it would create confusion.

‘’Confusion started developing; these set of barbarians in neighbourhood uniforms were armed.

SEVERAL KILLINGS RECORDED

‘’Since the emergence of the rival neighbourhood watch, there have been several killings. Oforma Itodo was apprehended and hacked to death at the market place, then within two weeks Obinna Onoja was also butchered to death. Just recently, a woman was killed and dumped in a tank. Some people were arrested, later released and still leaving in the community, committing all manner of crime rape, robbery and killing. It is strongly been rumoured that the government official released them after paying large sums of money in Abuja.’’

APEALS TO IGP

Appealing to the new Inspector-General of Police, Suileman Abba and human right activists to come to their aid members of the community, they alleged also that so many people are disappearing from their area and the long arm of the law should, as a matter of urgency, catch up with the notorious sponsor of ritual killings in Enugu Ezike.

POLICE SPOKESMAN SPEAKS

When contacted over recent developments in the area, Police spokesman in the state, DSP Ebere Amarizu, said he had earlier confirmed the killings in the area. ‘’I assure you that as soon as investigations are concluded, we will charge the suspects to court. For now, I am assuring the people of the community that there is no cause for alarm. Nobody, no matter how highly or lowly placed, can influence us,’’ he stated.