Nigerian Police, Arthur Eze have abducted our son – Abba cries

…alleges police thuggery

By O’star Eze

Abba Community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State has cried foul over the alleged abduction of one of her respected sons, Chief Pius Nweke, by men suspected to be from the Nigeria Police Force.

According to a press release signed by the community’s president general, Engr.B. C Anaekwe, Chief Nweke, Chief Executive Officer of Best Aluminium Manufacturing Company, Onitsha was on his way to his office, Thursday, June 5, 2020 when he was intercepted and taken away to a yet to be identified location.

The community linked this incident and the following picture of Chief Nweke brandishing a pistol while in handcuffs which had been making rounds on social media to a land dispute between her and Ukpo community adding that since the dispute ensued, her citizens had been “subjected to police intimidation, harassment and victimisation with not less than 19 citizens of the Abba Community charged to courts for offences ranging from obstruction to armed robbery.”

The release read thus: “At about 12 noon today, 5th June, 2020 information filtered in of the abduction of Chief Pius Nweke on his way to his office by of (sic) the Nigeria Police Force. Chief Nweke is the CEO of the Best Aluminium Manufacturing Company, Onitsha. It was confirmed that Chief Nweke was abducted by the men of the Nigerian Police when his pictures in handcuffs with a gun in a background of a police station started circulating online. As at the time of this release, the whereabouts of Chief Nweke is still unknown.

“It is recalled the Abba community has been in dispute over ownership of a large expanse of land commonly called “Agu-Abba” with her neighbouring Ukpo community by Prince Arthur Eze. Since June, 2019 citizens of the Abba community have been subjected to police intimidation, harassment and victimization with not less than 19 citizens of the Abba community charged to courts for offences ranging from obstruction to armed robbery. At present, two out of the five persons arrested on 18th December, 2019 in the margistrate court, Umudioka are still in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

“The Abba community hereby places the world on notice that should anything happen to Chief Pius Nweke, the Nigerian Police under IGP Mohammed Adamu and Prince Arthur Eze are to be held responsible. The Nigerian police should not reduce itself to a private thug. President Mohammed Buhari is called upon to safe the community from the Nigerian police.”

However responding to the allegations, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer stated that the command did not order “the arrest” of Chief Nweke nor the alleged circulating of his pictures on social media. He also said the command had no knowledge of who gave the order or carried out the operation.

In his words, “All these are mere allegations, in fact his arrest was not even carried out by the Command operatives.”