Killing of husband, wife by robbers, big calamity – Bawas, Ibeku High Chief

Traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku clan, High Chief James Uche Akwukwaegbu, has described as unprecedented calamity, the gruesome murder of a couple by armed robbers in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

Chief Akwukwaegbu who is popularly known as Bawas, told newsmen that such an incident has never been witnessed in Ibeku clan before.

The Traditional Prime Minister who spoke after five members of a six-man robbery gang arrested for killing Darlington Chinyere Uzoma and his wife after robbing them of their daily sales of about N400, 000 on the evening of Saturday, January 25, 2020 were paraded by the Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okon, at the Police headquarters, Umuahia.

The robbery incident took place along Secretariat Road, Ogurube Layout while Uzoma was conveying his wife, daughter and son home after the day’s business. The late Uzoma was reputed to be among the top three egg dealers in Umuahia and made supplies to many outlets.

“Imagine husband and wife being wasted! It is a very big calamity as far as we are concerned in this city. We have never seen this kind of thing before and God will never allow them to go free,” emphasized Bawas who said he also escaped being killed by armed robbers when he ran into them while they were in operation on January 16.

“These boys have terrorized Umuahia so much. They attacked me at BCA Road the other day. Look at them: young, young boys; they can’t go and wok. It’s all laziness. I am only cautioning our youth, after seeing this kind of thing, they should look for something reasonable to do instead of taking to armed robbery,” he said.

Reacting to the claim by the Commissioner of Police that traditional rulers in Ibeku clan were not cooperating with the Police in their efforts to fish out criminals operating in the Abia State capital, Bawas said there was no time Ibeku clan traditional rulers took any decision to bar the Police from effecting arrests in their communities.

“Well, as far as I am concerned, we have never taken such a decision in any National Conference of Ibeku clan. Any traditional ruler saying that the Police cannot enter into his community to arrest somebody, it does not sound well. No traditional ruler is above the law. The Police must be given free hands to do their work.

“What we resolved is that Police should endeavour to inform traditional rulers that they were in their communities to make arrests.

“We also asked them to come with at least one of them in uniform for proper identification so that people will not mistake them for hoodlums or kidnappers,” he explained.

Bawas commended the Commissioner of Police for the feats he has achieved.

“We are happy with the police for the work they are doing. Since the current Police Commissioner assumed office, so many armed robbers have been nabbed. It is a welcome development. He has been doing his best to make sure Umuahia is crime-free, and we want him to do more,” he said.