The traditional ruler of Ihunekwuagu Community, Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Boniface Nkwor, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police and the Enugu state commissioner of police to intervene and end the alleged harassment of his subjects by the operatives of the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) operating in the community.
The monarch, who made the plea in a letter he addressed to the IGP, said the letter followed pandemonium that erupted at the wee hours of last weekend in the community as the police allegedly made desperate efforts to arrest some members of the community.
He accused some community people he described as unscrupulous elements, of using security operatives to harass and intimidate his people.
According to Igwe Nkwor, “We have been tormented, victimized and harassed since 2022 when the Caretaker Committee of our town union was enthroned following the expiration of the tenure of the former leadership.
“Ihunekwuagu had been engulfed in various layers of insecurity challenges forcing the community to set a Vigilante Group whose weapons were allegedly sold by the same elements.
“We are afraid that these people might in cohort with some security agencies plant guns in our respective houses in a deliberate ploy to rope us in for crime we never conceived.
“John Ani, Palace Secretary was arrested this morning for the same case
“They are boasting that they will use their connection at Abuja Police to continue harassing the members of the community. .
“It is important to note that the same people went to court against the community, yet they cannot wait for the court to decide before rushing to the police.
“We are reliably informed that they have connection with police from Enugu and Abuja who they will use to continue incessant arrest of the members of the community.
“On this note, we are appealing to the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Enugu State and all law enforcement agencies to come to the help of the community by stopping the unjust intimidation and incessant arrest of innocent members of our peace loving community. They always boast of paying the authorities and thugs to do their bids,” the letter concludes.
