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1000 plus residents from 20 villages in Awka community, Anambra state, staged a naked protest on November 22, expressing their outrage over the senseless killings of their kinsmen.
The protesters, holding placards, marched around the capital city, alleging that some senior officers in the police command were aiding and abetting bribery and corruption in the area.
The protesters, with a mock coffin, symbolically signaling the burial of accused officers, set a 7-day ultimatum for concerned authorities to remove the indicted personnel.
Some of the placards read: ‘Cultists are killing our people’, ‘Remove bad eggs from Police’, ‘Nigeria Police deserve better not director of crime’, ‘DC causing Insecurity in Awka”, ‘Say no bribery and corruption’, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Richard Onuorah, said the communities would no longer tolerate incessant killings and maiming of their people.
He said: ‘We’re crying our eyes out every day because of cult-related killings in the community. There’s fear everywhere. We can’t go out and come back in peace.’
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‘People are dying every day. We won’t keep quiet and watch this man’s inhumanity to man to continue. It is time to put a stop to it.’
Also speaking, the chairman of Ezinano Community, Tochukwu Nwokoye, expressed optimism that the protest would bring an end to the unrest in Awka.
He called for the return of private security operatives in the area, saying they were comfortable with their mode of operation.
Reacting, police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga commended the peaceful disposition of the protesters, assuring of an amicable resolution of the matter.
He also appreciated the people of the area for their support and cooperation, especially in providing information to the police.
‘We’ve arrested a notorious killer fingered and confessed to be among those that killed four persons, including a private security operatives. Since that arrest, there has been relative peace here’
‘We didn’t achieve that feat alone. The people of Awka have been very supportive and cooperative. I must commend them because it’s through their information that we were able to track the suspects.’
‘As for the complaints brought to us, we’ll look into it and do a proper investigation.’
