From Nweke Nweke, Awka
An Obosi based hotelier, Mr. Sunday Ebunam has accused the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, AIG Karma of having shielded one Chibuzor Okeke from Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State from answering to criminal case hanging on his neck.
Mr. Sunday Ebunam runs a hotel at Ugamuma village, Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, which has an access road leading to Umuoji and Nkpor contiguous communities to Obosi
In a-6-strong worded paragraph petition from the chambers of Arthur Obi Okafor, SAN, duly signed by Okechukwu Otukwu, Esq, addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, (FCID) the Nigerian Police, Area 10 Garki FHQ, Abuja, dated 16th day of August, 2016 and made available to 247ureports.com yesterday (06/10/2016), it was alleged that some families/groups in Umuoji and Nkpor recently engaged in a land dispute, which does not concern the alleged victim in any way.
To the chagrin of Mr. Ebunam, according to the petition, some hoodlums allegedly led by one Chibuzor Okeke, on the 3rd of August, 2016, allegedly invaded the entire area encompassing the access road and started shooting sporadically.
“The miscreants also invaded our client’s new site located at Ugamuma village Obosi and shot his brother-in-inlaw, Mr. Chukwuma Julian Anayo, inflicting him with grievous gunshot wounds which, but for the prompt intervention of the Special Anti-Robbey Squad, (SARS) Ogidi, it would have led to his death”. The petitioner alleged.
Alleging that it was a clear case of armed robbery, Mr. Sunday Ebunam, through his counsel, went further to allege that after shooting Chukwuma Julian Anayo, his attackers robbed him of his two mobile phones (a Nokia and Techno Phones), a Casio Swatch Wristwatch valued at one thousand, three hundred dollars ($1, 300) and the cash sum of ten thousand, five hundred Naira (N10, 500).
With the arrival of the police at the scene of the incident, notably SARS men, according to the petition, the said Chibuzor Okeke and his cohorts took to flight even as the police conveyed the victim (Chukwuma Julian Anayo) to Unity Hospital Obosi for treatment.
“The SARS and the other formations went on the trial of the miscreants and succeeded in arresting eight (8) persons, two of whom, namely Messrs. Ifeanyi Enendu and Ifeanyi Egwuatu, were arrested with firearms without permission. Mr. Chibuzor Okeke went at large and up till now has not been arrested. Six out of the eight arrested persons were subsequently released at the SARS office, Ogidi and the two arrested with firearms that is, Ifeanyi Enendu and Ifeanyi Egwuatu were transferred to, and detained at, the Special Anti-Robbey Squad, Awkuzu while investigation continued”.
Shockingly, it was learned that on 13th day of August, 2016, the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 9 Umuahia allegedly in wrong direction, interfered in the case and directed/ordered that the two suspects detained at SARS be transferred to Umuahia alongside with the case file.
Worried about the latest development, the petitioner has cried to the listening ears of the police authorities in Nigeria that the manner in which the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Umuahia allegedly interfered in his matter leaves much to be desired and also raised doubt as to the motive behind the alleged interference and the impartiality of the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Umuahia hence the office of the Commissioner of Police, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) has been appealed to step into the matter, through the anticipation of the directives of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Reacting when contacted through his GSM line, the AIG, Zone 9, Umuahia, Mr. Karma denied having any knowledge about the matter. He called on the petitioner to come to his office if he has any case untreated at the divisional or state level of the Nigeria Police, noting that if such matter falls within his jurisdiction, definitely, justice must be done to such issue.
In his own reaction, Mr. Chibuzor Okeke through his mobile phone when contacted, dismissed the allegation, stating that he has resolved any matter he has with the hotelier even before the traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka.
He however noted that there was a land matter between a certain family in Nkpor and Umuoji; “but on the shooting of Mr. Chukwuma Julian Anayo, I don’t know what they are saying and I have made statement to the police to that effect”. He stated.
