Four local government chairmen in Enugu State now face ominous consequences as the military authorities have asked for their handover for further investigations over their roles in the spate of insecurity witnessed in the state in particular and the South East zone during and few months preceding the last general elections.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections were held on February 25, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections took place on March 18, 2023.
The elections witnessed widespread violence carried out by non-state militias in furtherance of their political interests. Arrests were made by the Armed Forces of Nigeria yielding actionable intelligence findings from arrested suspects.
Military sources indicate that the Chairmen of Udenu, Igbo-Eze South, Isi-Uzo and Igbo-Eze North were respectively indicted over the increased cases of kidnapping, killings and arson in the South Eastern states during the period.
A raid carried out before the governorship and state assembly elections led to the arrest of armed thugs at various locations in Isi Uzo, Nsukka and Igboeze North and Udenu Local government councils.
The arrests followed an alleged report dated February 8, 2023 and signed on behalf of Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by one Brigadier-General S.A Emmanuel, hinting about the discovery of the involvement of local government chairmen and other top politicians in the state in the heightened insecurity in the South East.
The information made available to reporters in Abuja, noted that, “reports available to the Headquarters on activities of gunrunners/ criminal syndicates in the South East had led to increased spates of killings, kidnappings, arson which were recorded in the region”.
It further noted that, “of particular concern was the alleged involvement of security personnel, including one retired police officer from Anambra State, but who was simply identified as CSP Nwafor.
The said Nwafor was the officer in charge of SARS in Anambra State from 2012 to 2018.”
Similarly, the report further noted the complicity of some AFN and NPF personnel,” who were conniving with some unscrupulous politicians in Udenu, Igbo Eze South, Isi- Uzo and Igbo Eze North LGAs of Enugu State to undermine the security ambience of the state, adding that it was imperative for suspected security personnels to be investigated for portraying both the AFN and NPF in bad light.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), was requested to immediately invite the identified local government chairmen for questioning after which they would be handed over (to the military) for further interrogation, the sources further hinted.
