Police Arrest Suspected Killers Of Herdsman In Ebonyi

Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, Musa Kimo on Tuesday said some persons have been arrested for allegedly beheading a herdsman in Onunwakpu, Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state.

He stated this in Abakaliki in an interview with newsmen after he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of the state, David Umahi.

Last year, four residents of the area were killed by herdsmen who attacked the community and destroyed houses, economic trees, and other valuable properties.

At the weekend, a herdsman was allegedly beheaded in the community.

AIG Musa Kimo said some persons have been arrested in connection to the gruesome murder of the herdsman.

The AIG said he visited the Governor to inform him that operation PUFF ADDER have been launched in the state as directed by the Inspector-General of Police(IGP), Adamu Mohammed.

Kimo also disclosed that about five war mercenaries have been arrested over the Enyibichiri/Enyigba protracted crisis in Ikwo and Abakaliki local government area of the state.

The intractable crisis re-ignited again last two weeks with a family of six including an infant burnt to ashes while three others shot dead by the warlords.

“Some people have been arrested especially in respect of the gruesome murder of the Fulani man in Izzi. Equally some people were arrested; four or five who are mercenaries. They are with us, they
are at the state CID and they are connected with the general crime that has to do with the conflict.

“I want to believe that investigation is pointing that they are directly or indirectly involved with those killings.

“We will continue to do our best in our professional manner. Our intention is to try as much possible to declare criminals persona non-grata”.

Meanwhile, the AIG during the official launch of operation PUFF ADDER said the aim is to help curb inter and intra communal crisis in Ebonyi state.

Inaugurating the operation at the police headquarters Abakaliki on Tuesday, Mr Kimo called on Ebonyi stakeholders to join hands with the Police to ensure the success of the operation.

He said stakeholders’ support became necessary because the operation, by the way it’s design, depends on the people in various communities to achieve its objective as their corporation would including giving police adequate information that would lead to tracking and prosecuting perpetrators of evil acts in the state.

AIG Kimo decried the recent killings in the state warned the warring communities of Alike-Ikwo, Ikwo local government and Enyigba Izzi in Abakaliki local government areas to sheat their sword or face the wrath of the tactical team.

He said the operation was a resonance of intelligence-driven policy and community intelligence strategy for the purpose of crime control adding that the operation will help police to identify and arrest criminals in Ebonyi state.

The command CP, Awoshola Awotunde, urged Ebonyi communities to stop pilling arms and learn how to dialogue when issues arise and not to kill each other.

A Stakeholder, Apostle Emma Mbam from Alike-Ikwo, one of the warring communities, said the problem with control of the crisis was the nonchalant attitude of stakeholders from the area.

He said that stakeholders should seat up because it is not the miscreants that buy gun rather it is the stakeholders that buy the gun for them to go and kill.

He said the police and government are being deceived but call for a private meeting where the secrets behind the killings will be revealed.

He called on Ezza nation who is the eldest in Abakaliki to call Ikwo and Izzi clans to order by placing a course on those instigating the crisis stressing that Ebonyi state is known for culture and as such cultural believe should be used to end the crisis.

Meanwhile, the police public relations officer DSP Odah Loveth, used the event to parade suspected kidnappers and arms recovered from hoodlums and gun manufacturers in the state.