The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has been asked to immediately direct for the arrest and investigate those behind the alleged murder of Chukwuemeka Ekeh and two others at the Old Spare Parts market, Obosi in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State.
A human Right group, the International Human Rights and Equity Foundation (IH-REF) in a petition to the IG on behalf of the family of the deceased said that the chairman of the market, Chief Chudi Obiagwu, and his vigilant outfit operatives should urgently be arrested and investigated to find out who actually perpetrated the dastardly act.
But the Chairman of the market, Chief Chudi Obiagwu washed off his hands from the alleged killing , saying that he was not even in the market on the day of the incident as the alleged incident as he went to his home town.
When he came he was briefed that it was mob that wanted to lynch the trios who had attempted to rob a customer but the intervention of his vigilant operatives saved the situation.
But the group in the statement signed by the executive director, Ijeoma, Justus Uche and Head, Information and Publicity, Comrade Obi Earth Ifediorah, told the IG to bring to justice whoever was found culpable in the murder.
According to the group in the petition, Ekeh aged 30 years had on August 4, 2016, gone to the Mgbuka Motor Park, where he worked as a labourer, when he was arrested by the Market Vigilant group.
The other two suspects whose names were not given, according to the rights group had been arrested earlier by the vigilant outfit at different spots in the market on the allegation that they had beaten up the chairman of the market the previous week.
The vigilant group was said to have taken them to their office, handcuffed them and beat them with machetes and clubs.
They were also said to have been inflicted with several cuts on different parts of their bodies, which made them to bleed profusely while the beating lasted.
Said the right group, “One of the victims reportedly died on the spot, while the other two were at various level of semi-consciousness, when the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrived at the scene and took them away”.
“We are worried that the sanctity of the human life has greatly lost its value in our society today. Bestial conducts that not only offend, but also shake the psyche of the society to its foundation are today brazenly displayed in the glare of the public. Our society is dangerously sliding in a Hobesian state, where anarchy rules supreme and life is short, nasty and brutish” they continued .
Obiagwu also said that it was his vigilant operatives who called the operatives of SARS who came to take the deceased away, noting that contrary to speculations that his vigilant operatives killed the trio, he was told that they invited the police patrol team to save them.
The Chairman however said that there were some boys who had annexed a portion of the market called “Ogbo Iron”, stealing, and robbing customers and traders of their cash and valuable property.
He said that these boys may have been behind the robbery that precipitated the victims the mob attack , hence their hot pursuit by the traders who had beaten them to stupur before his boys intervened.
All efforts to speak with the Commander of SARS Awkuzu, Benjamin Abang, failed as he could not keep the appointment he had with newsmen, but a source quoted him as saying that the victim had sustained deep cuts before they were brought to SARS office.
