Why we raided Enugu community — Police

The police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, have defended their raid on Igga Community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how personnel of the Nigerian army and Nigeria Police Force invaded the community at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, burning several houses and other properties.

This newspaper also reported that one of the residents, identified as Richard Okoye, about 70-years-old, died during the invasion.

‘They killed two police, three vigilante operatives.’

In a statement on Sunday night, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, claimed “criminal members” of the community, on Friday, murdered two police operatives and three members of a Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area.

‘How the operatives were murdered’

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said a combined security team comprising three police operatives and four members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group provided security for a team of visiting investors from Lagos State on a tour of a proposed agricultural investment site in the area.

The police spokesperson claimed the team was ambushed and attacked by a large group of criminals, who opened fire on them.

“Upon the unprovoked sudden attack, members of the team scampered for safety, while an assistant superintendent of police, who led the team, one Neighbourhood Watch Group personnel, and the three-member team of investors were later rescued by a police team that immediately mobilised to the crime scene,” he said.

Mr Ndukwe said the two police operatives and three members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group initially went missing after the attack.

“However, in the course of a full-scale investigation and a search and search operation launched after that, three males suspected to have masterminded the attack were arrested.

“Their revelations during interrogation led to the discovery and recovery of bodies of the slain policemen and Neighbourhood Watch Group members in the forest on May 4, 2024,” he said.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, ordered further deployment of the intelligence and operational resources of the police to sustain an ongoing “manhunt of the fleeing criminals” who carried out the attack.

Mr Uzuegbu, he said, has maintained that the police will not stop the operation in the area until they “fish out” and prosecute killers of the security operatives.

The police commissioner urged “criminal members” of the community who allegedly participated in the killing of the security operatives to surrender immediately.

Invasion: burning and looting of houses

Responding to the allegations of invasion of the community and burning of houses, the police chief said those pushing the narrative were attempting “to misinform and mislead” Nigerians.

He added that those circulating video clips and accusing the combined security operatives of burning and looting houses in the community should “desist forthwith,” but did not deny or confirm the allegation against the operatives.

‘ESN, not community members, carried out the attack.’

Meanwhile, a leader in the community, Festus Okonkwo, told PREMIUM TIMES that some gunmen, suspected to be members of the Eastern Security Network(ESN), the militant wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), attacked the security operatives.

IPOB is a group seeking the independent state of Biafra, which it wants to be carved out of the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.

“The attack (on the security operatives) happened at Ada Rice Production Nigeria Limited, a farm settlement about five miles away from the Igga Community. The people that usually stay at the farm settlement to fight invading Fulani herdsmen are ESN members,” Mr Okonkwo, a former councillor for the community, said.

“One of the people killed in the attack was from Igga.”