Hyacinth Chinweuba/ Richard Ginika Izuora
The Oraifite Improvement Union (OIU), of Anambra State has condemned violence and lawlessness which resulted in last Monday killing of two senior police officers.
Two senior police officers, a serving assistant commissioner of police and assistant superintendent of police were killed on December 2 in Oraifite community in Ekwusigo area of Anambra.
The community in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Awka banned six masquerades groups whose activities allegedly caused the problem in Oraifite on Monday.
The masquerades banned are: Otu-Eke, Otu-Afor, Otu-wo, Otu-Orie and Out-Ube, Otu Ayaka and all other forms of night masquerades.
The trio of Sir Sunny Igboanuzue, President General of Oraifite Improvement Union his secretary Offor Uche, and the traiditional ruler of the Oraifite, HRH Igwe Daniel Udeoji signed the statement on behalf of the community.
“The leadership of Oraifite town cannot keep quite and allow criminal gangs, cultists and miscreants take over the town and tarnish the image of the good people of Oraifite”, the statement noted.
The community stated that what happened on Dec. 2, 2019, leading to the killing of the some men of the Nigerian Police Force was uncharacteristic of Oraifite culture and tradition.
“The acts are condemned without equivocation in its totality. The good and peace-loving people of Oraifite totally dissociate themselves from the acts of the criminals responsible for the abomination.
“The OIU, the Isi Obi of Oraifite, the Obis of Oraifite, the Quarter Chairmen and the entire people will provide full, unrestrained and active support to the Nigerian Police Force and other Law Enforcement Agencies towards a fair and effective investigation of this dastardly act in order to bring all those directly, and indirectly responsible to book”, the community stated.
The statement added that the criminal activities of certain nefarious groups which acted as catalysts to the tragic events of Dec.2 have been proscribed and banished from operating in Oraifite.
The community warned that anybody found to indulge in any of the proscribed practices shall be immediately apprehended and handed over to Law Enforcement for due prosecution as a criminal.
Oraifite people further stated that all groups proscribed by law or through the exercise by any constituted authority of Government- whether State or Federal-or legitimate powers of office, have no place of operation in Oraifte.
The Oraifite people however, expressed heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian Police Force in particular and the families of the officers who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident.