Kidnap/Murder of woman: Ebonyi Group gives Police 72-hour ultimatum to parade suspects
It would be recalled that the deceased, an indigene of Ishiagu community in Ivo local Government Area of Ebonyi State was on January 18th, 2017 abducted from her residence. She was later killed and buried by her assailants in a shallow grave located in a forest near Lekpesi river – a boundary demarcating Abia and Enugu States.
The Ebonyi State Police Command through the dogged efforts of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, SAKS had secured vital disclosures from one of the suspects who led a Police search team to the shallow grave where the deceased victim was buried.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki and titled: Kidnap/Murder of Mrs Catherine Okorie: “Our Stand on Ebonyi Police’ Arrests and Investigations so far”, the National President of the group, Barr. Anthony Ukah who thanked the Police for their determination to get to the root of the dastardly incident however called on the Command to maintain professionalism in discharging their constitutional role to the public as some politicians in the present administration in the State were allegedly making efforts to see to the release of a prime suspect in the criminal matter.
“It seemed the arrest of one of the suspects, one of the Technical Assistants to the Governor on Internal Security, Aja Emmanuel, otherwise known as ‘Confirm’ had rattled some desperate politicians who have left no stone unturned in trying to exonerate albeit irresponsibly, and ensure the release of the said ‘Confirm’ from Police custody and eventually kill the far-reaching investigation into the murder of the deceased by the deadly gang.
“That we give the Police thumbs up for their resilience in tracking this terror group that has held our community bound for years and pretended to have provided security to us. This terror group is so sophisticated that it was officially handed over the entire security apparati of our town as orchestrated by some power hungry and blood sucking fellows.
“That we hereby give the state Police Command 72 hours ultimatum to parade all the arrested suspects in connection with this incident (if indeed they have nothing to hide). Failure would compel this body to mobilize its members, (home and abroad) to a peaceful demonstration to demand justice for the atrocious incident”.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jude Madu, when contacted, told newsmen that it was not compulsory for suspects in a matter to be paraded, adding that at the end of Police investigation, the suspects would be charged to court.
He allayed fears that the Police would compromise it’s investigation and maintained that the Police has nothing to hide but is not under compulsion to parade arrested suspects.
