Missing' of 8 Fulani Herdsmen In Enugu Community : Lagos Lawyer, Frank Agbedo Lampoon's Police Over Murder Allegations Against LG Boss
Lagos - based legal luminary, Chief Frank Agbedo, has pooh- poohed the explanations by the Enugu State police command for inviting the Chairman of Uzo- Uwani Local Government Area of the state, Chijioke Ezeugwu, following the reported "missing" of eight Muslims praying at Opanda
- A Lagos - based legal luminary, Chief Frank Agbedo, has pooh- poohed the explanations by the Enugu State police command for inviting the Chairman of Uzo- Uwani Local Government Area of the state, Chijioke Ezeugwu, following the reported "missing" of eight Muslims praying at Opanda, noting that the police were notorious for framing any one, no matter how ridiculous.
- "The Police have the notorious penchant to frame charges against anyone, no matter how ridiculous or nebulous," Agbedo said.
- The Enugu State police command had invited the local government boss, Ezeugwu, to make statements under caution twice after claiming that he made a call for the release of motorcycle belonging to a member of neighbourhood watch group, allegedly involved in the disappearance of the Muslims.
- This was even as no fewer than 36 people had been confirmed killed in various attacks across Uzo-Uwani local government without police efforts to arrest the killers who regularly infiltrated the communities from neighbouring Kogi and Benue States.
- The state Police Public Relations Officerj DSP Daniel Ndukee, said, Ezeugwu was invited after he was implicated in the disappearance of eight male Muslim worshippers in his area.
- His words, “The Enugu State Police Command has refuted reports alleging that it summoned the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area and insisted he make a statement under caution for establishing a vigilante group to confront killer herdsmen. The Command categorically describes the reports as misleading and a calculated attempt to distract from ongoing investigations into the murder of eight persons in a community within Uzo-Uwani LGA, in which the Chairman has been implicated.
- “On March 15, 2025, the Command received a report of the disappearance of eight male Muslim worshippers in Opanda community, Uzo-Uwani LGA. Search operations led to the discovery of the remains of five victims, found with gunshots and machete cuts, on March 16, while the burnt and decomposing bodies of the other three were later recovered, along with seven expended cartridges.
- “A surviving child alleged that the attackers were members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and identified one of them riding a motorcycle. That rider was intercepted by joint security operatives but escaped. The Chairman reportedly called the operatives shortly after, requesting the release of the suspect's motorcycle.
- “As a result of this implication, the Chairman was invited by the police to provide a statement and produce the suspect he had attempted to intervene for.
- “It is crucial to clarify that his invitation is based solely on his alleged implication in the case, not because of the operation or existence of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, which is a recognised quasi-security outfit of the Enugu State Government.
- “The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has cautioned those peddling the false reports to desist from such misleading narratives. He emphasised that the investigation will be conducted with fairness, transparency, and a strong commitment to justice, without bias to tribe, ethnicity, or religion.
- “CP Giwa further reaffirms the command's commitment to maintaining law and order, noting that it will continue to tackle crime across the state without fear or favour. He urges the public to disregard misinformation and allow the police to conclude its investigation diligently and professionally.”
- However, reacting to the police invitation, Agbedo said that, "The Police have the notorious penchant to frame charges against anyone, no matter how ridiculous or nebulous," adding however, that such ridiculous charges were usually thrown out by courts."
- According to security sources, Ezugwu was invited twice with members of the Uzo Uwani Neighbourhood Watch group, to the state police command headquarters through the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations.
- The DCP, a northerner, reportedly interrogated the council chairman "on the allegations of killing herdsmen."
- "The aim was to stop the council chairman from flushing out the criminals and kidnappers who have been masquerading as herders to unleash terror on the people," the source disclosed.
- The police reportedly wanted him to make a statement under caution, but the chairman refused, citing his legal background and duty to protect his people.
- Ezugwu, according to the source, explained that the actions of his vigilante group were necessary to protect his people from attacks and kidnappings, stating, "You know the dire situation in my area and we have to be armed to go into the forest to protect our people."
- The matter is however, said to have been taken up by Governor Peter Mbah, who intervened to prevent Ezugwu from being taken to the Force Headquarters Abuja, where the DCP felt his associates would be able to bring up trumped-up charges against the council chairman.
- The circumstances surrounding the governor's intervention have also raised suspicions, given the alleged connections between the governor and northern interests.
- "In the past months, several people in the council area have been killed and farmlands destroyed. So many have also been kidnapped and millions of naira paid in ransom. Some are still under their captors," lamented another source.
- Of most recent is the killing of a 90-year-old man and wife in Nimbo. It should also be noted that marauding herdsmen not only operate from the forest but they come into people's homes.
- "Now the chairman took the bold step to protect his people and the Neighbourhood Watch operatives started going into the forest. Remember that the police didn't respond to all these problems and killings but now, he is being harassed by the police," said another source.
- SaharaReporters reported on June 2, how a 90-year-old man, Elder Otiakugwu, and his wife were allegedly killed in their home at Ekwuru village of Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani LGA by assailants suspected to be marauding herdsmen who had made life miserable for local communities.
- The unfortunate incident, which was latest in the series of carnage going on for months in the Council Area occurred on last Wednesday
- The witnesses had told SaharaReporters that the victims' grandchild had visited them earlier and returned to school, unaware of the danger that awaited them.
- "The assailants entered Ekwuru village of Nimbo unnoticed, met the nonagenarian and his wife eating. They killed them and dropped their blood soaked machete on their body and fled under the cover of the night. It was in the following morning being Thursday that they were seen lying dead in the pool of blood," said the witnesses.
- The community is still reeling from the shock of the brutal killing, with many questioning the motive behind the attack. "What may have been the offence of the oldest man of the community and his wife to be gruesomely killed?" residents lamented.
- This incident has reignited fears in the community, which has been plagued by attacks from Fulani herdsmen in the past. In 2016, about 12 indigenes were killed in a similar attacks. Since then, the community has been under siege, with reports of killings, rapes, and destruction of farmlands.
- On May 18, SaharaReporters reported the killing of seven farmers in Daba and Nimbo communities in Uzo-Uwani LGA and the kidnap of six others by marauding herdsmen.
- Those killed were from Aku community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu but who were farming at Daba community in Uzo-Uwani council area.
- It was reported that the assailants equally abducted three farmers from the community.
- An indigene of Nimbo community identified as Simon Odenigbo was equally killed in a separate attack at Ekulu village. After the killing, the suspected kidnapers proceeded to Abbi community, and abducted three people.
- Meanwhile, SaharaReporters' efforts to speak with the Command's spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe over the development were unsuccessful as he did not take his calls as at the time of filing this report.
- Also, Mr Ezugwu did not take his calls when SaharaReporters reached out to him or respond to a text message seeking his comment on the incident.
- The Enugu State police command has broken it's silence on the invitation it extended to the Chairman of Uzo Uwani Local Government of the state, Chijioke Ezugwu, noting that the local government council boss was implicated in the sudden disappearance of eight Muslim worshippers at Opanda Community in his area.
- However, reacting to the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
- Daniel Ndukwe, said Ezugwu, was invited after he was implicated in the disappearance of eight male Muslim worshippers in his area.
- In a statement on Saturday, Ndukwe said,
- “The Enugu State Police Command has refuted reports alleging that it summoned the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area and insisted he make a statement under caution for establishing a vigilante group to confront killer herdsmen.
- “The Command categorically describes the reports as misleading and a calculated attempt to distract from ongoing investigations into the murder of eight persons in a community within Uzo-Uwani LGA, in which the Chairman has been implicated.
- “On March 15, 2025, the Command received a report of the disappearance of eight male Muslim worshippers in the Opanda community, Uzo-Uwani LGA. Search operations led to the discovery of the remains of five victims, found with gunshots and machete cuts, on March 16, while the burnt and decomposing bodies of the other three were later recovered, along with seven expended cartridges.
- “A surviving child alleged that the attackers were members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and identified one of them riding a motorcycle. That rider was intercepted by joint security operatives but escaped. The Chairman reportedly called the operatives shortly after, requesting the release of the suspect's motorcycle."
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