Obeagu Community in Enugu South Local Government Area has raised serious accusations against the Enugu State Police Command, claiming injustice after a developer was arrested following the death of a suspected militia member involved in a murder case.
According to local sources, villagers captured one of the alleged attackers, believed to be part of a militia that had slain a young man named Onyedikachukwu Ede last Friday, in what they say was an act of reprisal.
The suspect was reportedly trying to flee when he was caught. Villagers say he was beaten by an angry mob before police officers arrived, rescued him and took him into custody.
Later, the police announced that the suspect had died, triggering further arrests in the area.
Residents are outraged, insisting that the police have prioritized the death of the suspect over investigating the initial murder of their kinsman.
They say the real perpetrators remain at large, and yet little is being done to hold them accountable.
A community spokesperson told reporters:
“It’s painful! The police seem blind to the murder of our son, but they move swiftly when the victim is the one who killed him. We know who did the killing, but those people are untouchable. Instead, they pursue villagers who confronted the murderer.”
He further claimed that some officers were allegedly involved in the original attack:
“Some policemen were with the armed men who attacked us on Friday, so it’s obvious there’s more to this cover-up.”
The spokesperson also spoke of a broader concern that the community is being silenced, particularly over land disputes they say are longstanding:
“This is not about fighting, it’s about defending what our forefathers bequeathed to us. You can’t beat a child and expect him not to cry.”
Attempts to get a comment from the Enugu Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, by Sunday night were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
