Widows protest over alleged release of murder suspects by LGA boss in Anambra

…Petition Gov. Soludo to prevail on Aniegbunam to hands off from the case.

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

Widows in their numbers have protested against the release of four murder suspects by the chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Pascal Aniegbunam.

The widows and their relatives who took to the streets protesting against the release, however called on the state governor, Charles Soludo to prevail on the local government chairman, Aniegbunam to distance himself from the matter.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that Ogwuaniocha community, Ogbaru Local Government Area, Anambra State have been terrorized by a suspected gang ‘Pillar Youths’ that allegedly resulted to the killings of persons.

The widows however, demanded that the council chairman, Aniegbunam should hands off from the matter, and should allow the police to do their work, lamenting that it took time to fish out the murder suspects to face justice.

Some of the protesters carried placards with the inscription, “Ogbaru council chairman stop aiding and abetting Pillar Youths to kill us, Ogbaru LGA chairman allow police to do their work, we need justice on the murder of our husbands and relations by killer pillar Youths, Pascal Aniegbunam, council chairman has no right to release those who kill our husbands and relations,” among others.

One of the widows, Augustina Ejiofor

who spoke to newsmen during the protest said: “Pillar Youths kidnapped my husband from our residence and killed him. One of the suspects, Anthony Nnaji, was first arrested and detained at Zone 13 Police Command, two others , Chibunna and Jekwu, were also arrested and detained at SARS Awkuzu and another was arrested by Police Area Command but the council chairman used his position to release them.

“Two of those suspects, Chibunna and Jekwu are his security boys in the local government and they always storm our camps and kidnap perceived enemies and kill. They should leave us alone in the camp where we are staying after sacking us from our homes.

“Governor Soludo we need justice over abduction and murder of Sunday Ejiofor, Afam Enyimezie, Friday Obimma, among others. Gover Soludo we are dying, Pascal should let us be and allow justice to take its course,” she pleaded.

“God will not allow the council chairman to go Scott free since he bailed those who killed our husbands and other relations. Instead of Pascal to act as a father in Ogbaru, he is biased because he aids and abets Pillar Youths. Let him leave police to do their work,” she cried.

Another widow, Mrs Ijeoma Enumezie, disclosed that, “My husband, Afam Enumezie, was killed for nothing. Our problem started when the said Igwe Oliver Nnaji was declared missing years back, since then killer Pillar Youths of the missing monarch continue to kill our people and the LGA chairman , Pascal is protecting them from getting Justice.

“How can he intervene in murder case which police is investigating and bail them. He should allow police to do their job to serve as deterrent to future offenders,” she stated.

Also, Mrs Chinyere Obinna, whose son was allegedly killed, said that , “Pillar Youths took us to their torture camp near the river, and tied my husband and son hands with ropes, my husband’s rope was divinely untied and he dived into the river and escaped but my son was killed. Governor Soludo should please prevail on Pascal to hands off the matter in the interest of justice and peace in the community,” she pleaded.

A sibling to the purported killed Afam Enumezie, Mbakwe Ekpom Enumezie, told newsmen that his elder brother, Afam, was abducted by some youths believed to be Pillar Youths on October 19, last year.

“On hearing of it I called ‘Anthony Nnaji’, and he told me that he sent the youths that abducted my brother. Since then we have not seen him. Police lived up to the challenges by arresting Anthony Nnaji, Chibuzor, Jekwu and another one suspect, but the council chairman instead of allowing the police to do their work, went and released them.

“That means he is working with suspects in committing crimes, he should be querried to know his interest in arresting murder suspects who even confessed involvement in the murder of the husbands of these widows and other victims,” he disclosed.

In her own contribution, Mrs Loveth Ogana, wife to the embattled igweship contender, Okwudili Ogana, of Ogwuaniocha, advised the council chairman to stop intervening in murder case to enable justice take its course adding that those murdered were human beings not cows.

In a swift reaction when contacted, the council chairman, Pascal Aniegbunam, admitted that he fought for the release of the suspects, adding that it was done in good faith, to make peace.

” His words, In Ogbaru we have 40-man Central Strike Force formed to checkmate crimes and criminalities in the Area and two of my men were arrested by the police over the purported murder and I had to get to the police and told them that two of my men were detained and that they help in crime fighting in Ogbaru Local Government Area.

“If there is any murder in Ogwuaniocha it is the police and Navy that should be held responsible and not members of my strike force. The strike force merely assist the police and Navy in the Ogbaru terrain as indigenes.

“I am not from Ogwuaniocha and those people have been threatening fire and brimstone, that they will kill me, and so on. I can’t advise anybody to kill his brother and whenever the police need those released, they will be produced. The police are there to investigate the matter can rearrest, he assured.