Over 900 women from Aku Community in Igboetiti Local Government of Enugu State on Wednesday embarked on peaceful protest to Ogbede Divisional Police Station.
The women demanded the sack of the Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Divisional Crime Officer 2 (DCO2) (names withheld) of the station on alleged aiding of kidnapping in the area.
Addressing the Divisional Police Officer in Ogbede, Mrs Serina Eze who is the Chairman of Aku Women Association said that, they were at the station to demand for immediate sack of police officer.
Eze alleged that the Officer colluded with people from Ikolo a neighbouring Community to kidnap and murder their people in Aku.
“We want explaination from him why he colluded with Ikolo people to kidnap and kill Aku people recently.
“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Governor Peter Mbah and other well meaning Nigerians to come to our rescue from the evil hand of (the officer) who is working with Ikolo people to kidnap and kill Aku people.
Also speaking,Mrs Justina Ogbe, Secretary of the association, alleged that, (a police officer) aborted a police operation aimed at rescuing kidnapped three boys from Aku even when the police team was very close to the den of kidnappers Ikolo.
“Some Aku boys volunteered to join police in search of our kidnapped children, they got very close to the location as indicated by police phone tracker, only for DCO2 who led the team to abort the operation and ordered the team to return back to station on flimsy excuses” she said.
“If he is not working with Ikolo people, why did he abort the operation when the operation has gotten closer, to rescue our kidnapped children, ‘ she queried.
Ogbe also accused the DCO 2 of demanding one hundred thousand naira from some Aku youths who came to Ogbede Police Station to report about the kidnap.
Responding, the DPO of Ogbede Police Division, Mr Kelvin Nwagu thanked the women for the peaceful protest and assured them that their demands would be communicated to Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu.
Nwagu however, expressed dissatisfaction towards Ikolo people who claimed that they have no knowledge about the kidnap of three boys from Aku, when police tracker had consistently indicated the kidnapped boys were still held hostage in Ikolo.
The DPO told the women that, he lacked the authority to sack or transfer DCO2 as demanded but assured the women that their demands would be forwarded to the appropriate authority.
Nwagu disclosed that police at Ogbede had already arrested some suspects in Ikolo in connection with kidnap and killing of some people from Aku and had moved the suspects to Enugu State Police Headquarters for proper investigations.
“The commissioner of police in the state had ordered thorough investigations in the matter, I assure you that justice will be served as all the those behind the evil act in Ikolo community will be be fished out and prosecuted at the end of investigations,”he said.
When contracted on the allegations of colluding with some Ikolo people to kidnap and kill some people from Aku Community, the DCO2 at Ogbede Police station described the allegations as false and deliberate attempt to tarnish his image.
He however, explained that, why he aborted the rescue mission midway was because he feared that some hoodlums in Ikolo might ambush the rescue team and kill all of them in the rescue operation.
“We have few police officers in the rescue operation and midway I suggested we should turn back for fear of being ambushed by some hoodlums in Ikolo.
“Reason of turning back is to enable us to reinforce the team with more policemen and other security agencies so that we can repeal any attack from hoodlums in Ikolo.
” On the allegation of demanding N100,000 from some youths who reported the matter at Ogbede Police Station, he described it as false allegation meant to blackmail him as there’s no truth in it,”he said.
Our correspondent gathered that, three boys from Aku Community were kidnapped earlier this month (August) by suspected Ikolo people when they went to Ikolo in search of herbal medicine for the treatment of their ailing mother.
Later, four men from Aku were also killed and others injured in Ikolo Community, who were among those that went on rescue operation in Ikolo for the three kidnapped boys.
