The traditional ruler of Igga Community in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State, His Royal Highness, Igwe Herbert Ukuta, is among the five suspected murderers of two policemen and three neighbourhood watch group members arraigned at an Enugu State Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Others are Festus Okonkwo, former ward Councillor; Ofodile Titus Henry, Sunday Ugwu and Obinna Ayogu.
They were alleged to have masterminded the attack and gruesome murder of the security operatives in the evening hours of Friday, May 3, 2024, at Igga Community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.
The trial judge ordered that they be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Custodial Centre, Enugu.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said, “They were arraigned for the offences of conspiracy, terrorism, and murder upon being found culpable during investigations.”
It would be recalled that on that fateful day, a combined team of policemen and neighbourhood watch group, providing security for a team of investors on a visiting tour to a proposed agricultural investment site in the area, was ambushed and attacked by a large group of armed criminal elements harboured in the community.
The deceased were abducted and declared missing. The investors and few other security operatives guarding them escaped with some injuries, it was gathered.
Ndukwe said, “The remains of the two policemen and three members of the neighbourhood watch group murdered by the assailants were later recovered following the revelations of the traditional ruler and others earlier arrested and detained on court orders.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has reiterated the resolve of the command to bring everyone involved in the act to justice.
He cautioned those “hell-bent on using social media and insidious and clout-chasing online media publishers to publish falsehoods, in a bid to divert public attention from the mind-boggling issues in the case, to desist forthwith.”
CP Uzuegbu warned that the command would not be deterred from getting to the root of the incident.