By Tony Adibe
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State Command, Ahmed Ammani, has debunked rumours that a truck loaded with arms was intercepted in the state.
NewsBits learnt that there was panic within the state on Thursday concerning rumours of a truck loaded with arms and people from a particular ethnic group were intercepted, arrested and set ablaze in the criss-affected Eha-Amufu , Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.
However, the CP, Mr. Ammani, after visiting the scene of the said attack and burning of a truck and unspecified number of persons at Umuhu Village, along Eha-Amufu/Nkalagu Road, Eha-Amufu community later on Thursday for an on-the-spot assessment, explained that the truck was rather carrying goods and some travellers, as preliminary investigation had revealed.
Ammani, who was in company of the 82 Division Garrison Commander of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Brig. Gen. M. K. Ibrahim, DCP Olasoji Akinbayo in-charge of Operations, DCP Fidelis Ogarabe in-charge of the State CID Enugu and other Senior Police/Military Officers and the Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Honourable Obiora Obeagu, described the rumour as “baseless, misleading and an act of disinformation capable of creating unnecessary panic and escalating the situation in the area.”
Ammani warned the “creators and peddlers of such fake news to desist forthwith,” as they would be made to face the full wrath of the law if apprehended.
The Commissioner, while commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the heinous criminal act and other reported attacks in the area, emphasized that the Police, with the active support and collaboration of other security agencies, would do everything within their powers in “fishing out the assailants and perpetrators of other acts of attack and murder in the area.”
He reassured members of the Eha-Amufu community of the avowed commitment of the security agencies to deploy both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to decisively deal with the untoward security breaches in the area, while urging them to remain law-abiding, cooperate with the Joint Security Team and avoid acting in ways that could further breach public security and peace in the area.
Consequently, the CP ordered the further deployment of operational and intelligence resources to the area, while also ordering the State CID to thoroughly investigate the incident, harmonize ongoing investigations into other recent criminal incidents in the community and come up with actionable findings.
However, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the state has summoned emergency security meeting following the recent increase in insecurity situation in the state.
In the meeting holding at the State Government House, Enugu Friday as of the time of filing this report, had in attendance Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, who is chairing the meeting; the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Ahmed Ammani; the Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. M.K Ibrahim; the Air Commander, 553 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Enugu, Air Commodore Isaiah Taiwo; the State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Habu Maina Daluwa; and the State Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Aloysius Obiorah.
Others were the Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service, Enugu State Command, Nicholas Obiako; the Acting Comptroller of Immigration, Enugu State Command, DCI Mukhtar T. Musa; the Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi Command, AC Opaluwa O.P; and the representative of the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Enugu, Anthony Ogbodo.
