Abia: Vigilante Leader Arrested for Assaulting Police Officer, Seizing Gun

The Abia State Police Command has apprehended the leader of a vigilante group in Amakama Oloko, Umuahia South Local Government Area, following an altercation with a police officer.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chinaka, the incident involved an assault on the officer and the confiscation of his service weapon.

“We can confirm reports of the assault on a police officer in Amakama Olokoro and the subsequent arrest of the suspect,” Chinaka stated. “A pump action rifle and the stolen AK-47 rifle have been retrieved, and the suspect is currently facing court proceedings.”

The arrest stems from a complaint filed by a Canadian returnee, Mr. Chidiebere Eluwa, who resides in the same community. Eluwa accused the vigilante group of harassment and intimidation, claiming they posed a threat to the community’s well-being.

He alleges that the group, acting on his nephews’ request, attacked him while he was attempting to evict them from his father’s home. Eluwa claims his nephews, his sister’s sons, had been residing in the house for years after marital issues arose, causing discomfort for both his father and sister.

“I returned from Canada to ensure peace in my father’s house as the only son,” Eluwa explained. “I provided financial assistance for my nephews to find alternative accommodation so that my aging father and sister could have peace.”

Eluwa further stated that he sought assistance from the Umuahia Area Police Command, who assigned five officers to apprehend his nephews. However, the nephews fled upon seeing the police, leaving a single officer with the patrol van.

“One of my nephews contacted the vigilante group,” Eluwa recounted. “They arrived with automatic rifles and assaulted the lone officer, confiscating his gun. While they were returning, the other officers pursuing my nephews encountered their colleague under attack.”

He continued, “By then, some vigilantes had escaped with the police officer’s AK-47, but the officers managed to subdue the group’s commander and demanded the weapon’s return.”

The standoff reportedly lasted two hours before the stolen rifle was retrieved and the vigilante leader apprehended. Eluwa’s nephews, however, remain at large.

Eluwa urged authorities to thoroughly investigate the vigilante group’s activities, expressing concerns about their influence over the community and reluctance among residents to speak out due to fear. He appealed to the Inspector General of Police to intervene and address these matters.