The youth leader of the Ezinano community in Awka-South local government area of Anambra State, Mr Tochukwu Nwokoye, has raised the alarm concerning an alleged plan by the officer in charge of Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, in Oyi local government area of the state, Supol Ifeanyi Iburu to frame him up with a murder case.
He alleged that Supol Iburu had perfected a plot to bury a corpse in a part of their land. His community is currently in dispute with their neighbouring Umuzuocha people.
Nwokoye, who recently slammed Supol Iburu with a N20 million Court action for allegedly arresting and detaining him between 10 am to 10 pm on 4th September 2024 illegally in connection with the land dispute, raised the alarm in a statement to newsmen yesterday that supol Iburu accused youths in his community of killing people and burying their corpse on their land.
The Ezinano community youth leader said that Supol Iburu had earlier told him that if they could not locate any grave on the disputed land, he would kill someone and bury the corpse there so that the youth of his community would be called to answer the question.
Recalling his ordeal recently in the hands of the RRS commander, Mr Nwokoye, told our correspondent later in a hospital where he was taking treatment that he had been passing through a terrifying experience which he would not wish on his worst enemy.
He said that they were in their ancestral land at Ezinano when suddenly, a team of policemen led by Supol Ifeanyi Iburu stormed the place and started shooting sporadically, ordering them to lie down or be shot dead.
Nwokoye said that before the incident, he had not met the RRS commander before, so he did not know him, saying that he wondered why he stormed their ancestral land in a commando style, forcing them to lie down or be killed.
He said,” We were at our land at Ezinano on September 1, 2024. We plotted and fenced the land, and even our women planted cassava there. When we went there, we discovered that some people came with excavators, destroying our crops and removing beacons.
” We sent our youth secretary to the B division in Awka to make entry along with the ladies who planted cassava there. The divisional police officer in charge of B division sent two policemen to find out what was happening; before then, we had stopped those people with excavators from destroying our crops and removing our beacons.
” As we were there, suddenly, we saw some people with guns shooting and asking us to lie down or risk being killed. We obeyed, and they were about 15 in number. As the Youth leader, I asked them what the problem was, but instead, they started beating me.
” One of the B Division officers sent by their DPO told them that they were there to investigate the problem, but at the same time, he was also beaten, describing him as one of the accomplices of criminalities in the town.
” They took me away to RRS headquarters at Awkuzu, and after reaching Ukpor- Abba junction, Iburu started calling one Peter that he should bring out an AK47 rifle from the armoury. When I asked him what was happening, he threatened to kill me and said we have been killing people and burying them in that land, thinking that nobody knows. He told me that if they could not trace any grave there, they would kill one person and bury him there, and we would answer the question.
” When we got to Awkuzu RRS Station, they brought out one AK 47 rifle and tried to hang it on my neck; I resisted it, and they started beating me again and forcefully turned the gun on my neck and took pictures of me with the gun.
“After that, he ordered that I be sent to cell five. Meanwhile, he had not taken any statement from me. As I got inside the cell, I saw about seven malnourished persons, and they told me that for three months, they had not eaten. Not up 30 minutes, one died, and they took him away. ” Nwokoye stated.
He said, ” At about 6.30 to 8 pm, they called my name and said I should wear my clothes. I wore my clothes, they started threatening to kill me again, and I asked again, what is the problem? He said that we have been killing people and burying them in that land. He said that if they could not find anyone, they would bury one for us and show the AK47 he saw with me.
” I never knew we were heading to the office of the State Commissioner of Police, and when we got there, the CP asked him whether he recovered the AK47 from me, and he said no. He asked him again whether he snapped a picture with AK, and he said no; then, the CP directed him to go and release me.”
Nwokoye further expressed fears toward the alleged plots of Supol Ifeanyi Iburu against him, considering so far, he has gone to incriminate him with a gun.
One of the community leaders of Ezinano, Chief Arinze Ekelem, described Nwokoye as a patriotic son of the Ezinano community.
According to him, Nwokoye loves his people, and his people love him, too, noting that whatever concerns his people concerns him.
He said that he was surprised when he learnt that Awkuzu RRS arrested, detained and tortured him.
Ekelem equally expressed surprise that a rifle was hung on his neck, and the Awkuzu police took pictures of him with the gun.
“We don’t need to quarrel with the Police; they are doing good jobs, but they should do their work according to the dictates of the Constitution.
RRS is not supposed to be involved in land matters,” he said.
He said that even if somebody had reported any infraction, the police should do their due investigation and not resort to self-help, threatening to kill and harassing innocent people.
