Clement Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Police Command has declared a legal practitioner identified as Barr. Kennedy Agbai wanted and arrested 12 persons for their alleged involvement in malicious damage, assault and inciting communal war.
Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Command Headquarters, in Abakaliki, on Friday, the State Commissioner of Police, Philip Maku, said that the arrest of the suspects were effected sequel to a distress Call received from one Maduka Ifeanyi (m), who hails from Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of the State that some people were damaging houses and properties in the community.
He said that Police Operatives were despatched to the scene of the incident and arrested 12 suspects while the alleged mastermind Barrister Kennedy Agbai fled the scene before the arrival of the detectives.
He restated that the Lawyer (still at large ) hired heavily armed men numbering about 30 who stormed Ndiheme community Ishiagu, damaged several houses, killed livestock and inflicted machete injuries on innocent injuries.
“Efforts are in top gear to arrest Barr. Kennedy Agbai the mastermind who fled the scene after the incident,” he maintained
“Two persons named Mrs Patricia Mbam (f) and Chibuike Kela (m) received machetes cuts and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital n the area.
According to the police boss, “Some people damaged several houses and properties belonging to Ndi-Iheme community “
“Following the report the State Police Operative swung into action and arrested 12 suspects for their involvement in the act”
CP Maku said that preliminary investigations revealed an existence of age long land dispute between the people of Ndiobasi community and their Ndiheme neighbours both of Ivo local Government Area of the State.
In an interview two of the suspects named Uchendu Emeka and Ogbonna Sunday said that they are natives of Amahiba community in Isikwato Local Government area of Abia State.
They narrated that they were hired by Barrister Kennedy Agbai of Ndiheme Community in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State to renovate his building in the area involving removal of doors, windows, and other things with a daily pay of Four thousand naira.
The Police boss gave the names of the suspects to include Oluoha Ngionye (m) 30 years, Nnaji Ogbonna (m) 27, Uchendu Emeka (m) 25 years, Okezi Oluoha (m) 22 years, Ifeanyi Monday (m) 25years, Ogbonna Sunday (m) 35 years.
Others suspects include Ogbonna Johnson (m) 25 years, Okezi Chibuzu (m) 32 years, Ifeanyiionu Agwu (m) 26 years, Ikechukwu Agwu (m), Nwachukwu Onuobia (m) 27 years and Emeka Stephen (m) among others
The Police Commissioner said items recovered from the suspects included Three Locally made single barrel guns, One double barrel gun, Five Live Cartridges/two expanded, Two (2) Matchets, One Torchlights, Four Sledge Hammer, One wooden Hammer, A box of snuff and a Techno Handset.
In a related development, Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested two members of a criminal gang involved in the robbery and attack of residents of No 8 Ojeiweri a Street Abakaliki the capital city.
Commissioner Maku gave the names of the arrested suspects to include Monday Ekwe (m), 21 years and Stanley Obijulu (m).
“The suspects admitted to the crime and confessed to be members of the syndicate that have been terrorizing residents and shop owners within Abakaliki metropolis .
Speaking against the backdrop of measures put in place by the Command to curb cases of cultism in the state, CP Maku said that on 2nd September 2020 a team of detectives arrested four cultists at Ndiechi Onuebonyi Primary School assaulting one Onuoha Sochima .
He disclosed that the cultists confessed being members of JVC otherwise known as Junior Vikings Confraternity while efforts have been intensified to arrest remaining fleeing suspects.