By Tony Adibe
The Enugu State Police Command has refuted reports alleging that it summoned the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area and insisted that he would 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.”
The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has cautioned those peddling the false reports to desist from such misleading narratives, according to the PPRO. He said Giwa had emphasised that the investigation will be conducted with fairness, transparency, and a strong commitment to justice, without bias to tribe, ethnicity, or religion.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Daniel Ndukwe, the Command explained that the invitation extended to the Council Chairman had nothing to do with the establishment, operation or existence of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, which is a recognised quasi-security outfit of the Enugu State Government.
Ndukwe said that the invitation to provide a statement was in connection with the suspect for whom the Council Chairman made intervention; that the motorcycle of the suspect be released to him since he abandoned it and escaped when police operatives tried to intercept the suspect.
Ndukwe, in the release said inter alia: “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.
“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.”
According to the PPRO, 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, according to Ndukwe. Giwa urged the public to disregard misinformation and allow the police to conclude its investigation diligently and professionally.
