Three Policemen Perish, 10 Injured In Ebonyi Auto Crash

Three policemen returning from peace-keeping operations at Effin community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Wednesday, perished in an auto crash that occurred on the Enugu-Abakaliki highway. Ten others sustained various degrees of injuries, and are currently receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the accident happened after Ishieke junction along the expressway. The hilux they were travelling in skidded off the road, resulting in the accident, a source said.

The state police commissioner, Mr Garba Aliyu, confirmed the incident, adding that the ten injured officers were on admission at Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

The CP told newsmen that, “Yes, I was in the hospital. We lost three officers while ten others are on intensive unit care.”

Our correspondent reports that the crisis in Effium community, which began about two weeks ago, was caused by a fracas between two factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) as a result of leadership tussles. Many lives and property had been lost in the process, a source confirmed.

However, following the intervention of security operatives, normalcy is gradually returning to the community, making residents of the community who fled to Izzi, Ohaukwu and some parts of Benue State gradually finding their way back home.

The state police PPRO, Mrs Loveth Odah, said, “They decided to use traditional means to make peace, and they have embraced peace. As I talk to you now, normalcy has returned to the area. They have agreed to drop their hostility against one another, and we are very happy with them for that. Some of the villagers have started returning home; police personnel escorted some of the displaced persons back home on Sunday after the peace meeting.

“The CP has directed that the suspects arrested with offensive weapons and the suspected warriors who keep on killing innocent citizens be charged to court because we recovered not less than twenty pump-action and other offensive weapons from them. The suspects arrested should be over fifty.”