By Vincent Ujumadu

Awka—THE Anambra  State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, said, yesterday, that the greatest challenges faced by the state Police Command were the activities of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB; Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Fulani herdsmen, who are having ugly encounters with indigenes in many communities.

Addressing members of the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Police Affairs and Security, who visited him, Karma said the combined activities of the three groups had led to increased murder cases in the state.

He said no fewer than 36 persons had been murdered in the state between January and April. Details showed that nine were murdered in January, five in February, 15 in March, while seven had already been recorded this month.

He added that some of the murder cases involved brother killing brother, son killing father, mother or sister, among other family issues.

He said: “These murders are giving us sleepless nights, especially as they started happening after we had arrested the problems of armed robbery, kidnapping and cult-related activities. We are not going to allow it to continue; our men are equal to the task.”

The police commissioner said the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, set up a special committee headed by the CP, with personnel from the Army, the Department of State Service, DSS, and the civil defence as members.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Victor Okoye, had earlier told the CP that they were at the police headquarters to work out a synergy between the House of Assembly and the state Police Command.