Youths, women protest killings, cultism in Anambra community

By Praise Chinecherem

No fewer than 1000 indigenes of Awka community in Anambra State on Wednesday, protested alleged killings of their sons, accusing some top senior Police officers of masterminding the killings.

The protesters, drawn from twenty villages of four quarters, insisted that Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akin Fakorede and Inspector Monday Umana should either be transferred or sacked.

They carried a coffin and placards with read “DC Fakorede must go ” , Akin Fakorede is a corrupt police officer “, Inspector Monday Umana must be sacked”.

Spokesman of the community, Hon Richard Onuorah said, “We are protesting because of the killings by these two police officers in Awka and they have been involved in the reports of cult killings in Awka town as well as getting involved in land grabbing and other crimes.

“They also went further to stop the job of our local security outfit the “Blue Shield Security” from functioning which has led to the worsening state of security in our town.

“We urge the Inspector General of Police to either sack them or transfer them out of Anambra State because they are behind the rate of criminality in Awka town.”

Also speaking, Woman leader, Mrs Ezurike Gloria also said, “Our children are being killed on daily bases and we are tired of holding funerals for our children who are being killed by these two police officers and their cohorts.

“They planned and stopped our Blue Shield Security outfit that has been maintaining peace and security in Awka town because they don’t allow them to commit crime and extort money from our people.”

Reacting, Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga dismissed the allegations, saying the achievements so far recorded in crime control were through the Police Commissioner, Aderemi Adeoye, in collaboration with other police officers including Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Fakorede and Inspector Monday Umana.

He said, “You all can agree with me that the good records that we have achieved in the area of security of lives and property is because of the proactive measures of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Aderemi Adeoye as well as officers and men of the Command including the two police officers that their names where mentioned.

“The Deputy Police Commissioner is as old as Anambra Command and before one is posted to the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), he must have been found to be hard-working and one who knows his job so the Police cannot post someone with a questionable character to such a department.

“The same Deputy Commissioner of Police has been working with our Police Commissioner which led to the peace in major troubled communities in Anambra State such as Obosi and Ogidi towns.”