By Tony Adibe
Six persons have been arrested for their purported involvement in the stripping of a woman in Enugu Community.
The youths from Agunese, Affam-Mmaku Autonomous Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State reportedly beat the widow to pulp and stripped her for picking snails around a ‘sacred shrine’ in the community.
The action caused a lot of reactions and condemnation from well-meaning Nigerians and various women organisations. But NewsBits learnt that as at Friday, six persons said to be involved in the de-humanising act have been arrested by the operatives of Enugu State police command.
Following their arrest, the Commissioner of Police, in the state, CP Ahmed Ammani, ordered the State CID Enugu to conduct a full-scale investigation into the matter which took place on the 27th of October. In a statement signed by DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, the CP said such acts won’t be tolerated by the command.
“Six male suspects have been arrested, including one Okoro Stan aged 46, alleged to have led others in perpetrating the act of beating and parading the said victim round the community.
Others include Jonathan Nwangene aged 43, Maduabuchi Madueke aged 34, Obioma Nwangene aged 39, Anikene Samuel aged 24 and Chukwuebuka Agu aged 32. In addition, frantic investigative efforts are ongoing to arrest others at large,” Ndukwe stated.
The Spokesman said that presently, ongoing investigation into the case has shown that the suspects also beat up and caused bodily injuries on the victim’s husband and brother, when they attempted to stop them from carrying out the act.
Ndukwe further said: “To this end, the Commissioner, while categorically condemning the said acts of torture, dehumanization and degradation of the person of the victim in contravention of extant laws, especially those bordering on her dignity and fundamental human rights, has further directed that the investigation be concluded within the shortest possible time and the culprits arraigned accordingly.”
According to Ndukwe, the CP has advised citizens of the State, particularly traditional rulers and other community leaders, “to ensure utmost caution is exercised when enforcing traditional or customary norms on their subjects, especially if doing so will lead to the contravention of the constitutionally enshrined fundamental rights of the person.”
