The report of the attack is contained in a petition by the elders of Ukpo community to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.
The petition dated 5th of September, 2016 and signed by the community’s lawyer, Mr. I.M. Anah, alleged that the hoodlums were hired by their neighboring Abagana community, who were having a land dispute with Ukpo.
The petition reads, “Some mischievous or disgruntled indigenes of Abagana town, who are identifiable with their mercenaries, are the people that conspired, masterminded and carried out the murder, terrorist and arsonist attacks.
“The attacks were unleashed on Ukpo community on the 19th August, 2016 in which an Ukpo indigene by name Emmanuel Chiagozie Okafor was gunned down and murdered in cold blood.”
The petitioners maintained that four policemen were heavily wounded by the hoodlums, saying, “They are still struggling in the hospital to survive.”
They noted that the community had a judgment of an Anambra High Court, stating that the land in question belonged to Ukpo.
“Abagana people filed an appeal against the said judgment but the appeal as filed was struck out for want of prosecution on 4th of February, 2013”, the petitioners stated.
The traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Robert Eze, and the President General of the community, Group Captain Benson Okoye (retd), implored the police to bring the culprits to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
It was gathered that 23 persons had been arrested in connection with the matter.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Sam Okaula, confirmed the incident, saying more arrests would be made.
He said some of the hoodlums from Abagana community had been charged to court.
The lawyer for the Abagana community, Emma Ifeadike, had accused Okaula and some other police officers, handling the matter of compromise.
Ifeadike accused an oil magnate in Ukpo of paying the police to do his bidding.
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