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A man is currently mourning uncontrollably over the loss of 3 of his family members in the Anambra massacre involving suspected drug lords.
IPOB demands probe
The Indigenous People of Biafra has called for investigation into the attack.
In a statement on Wednesday by the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, the IPOB said the conclusion by the police that the killing was a result of a business gone wrong was hasty.
It said, “It is unfortunate that the Nigeria police, who are required to investigate the incident with the view to apprehending the culprits, merely concluded within an hour that they knew the cause and the perpetrators of the crime.
“We don’t know when the Nigeria police acquired this level of efficiency and excellence that enabled them to conclude their investigations within an hour. Does it mean they had prior knowledge of the crime and if so why were measures not put in place to pre-empt it?
“We are alerting the international community, men and women of good conscience to prevail on the Nigerian and Anambra State governments to constitute an independent and transparent panel of inquiry to ascertain what actually happened because this level of brutality is unheard of in Anambra State.
Labour seeks prosecution of culprits
Organised labour, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, also called for the arrest of the perpetrators of the massacre.
The unions, in separate statements on Monday, expressed shock at the killing of worshippers by gunmen, and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
The President, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, while describing the attack as animalistic and shameful, called on security operatives to beef up security around places of worship.
“What makes this attack more confounding is the fact that Ozubulu is far removed from any known theatre of conflict at the moment and has had little or no history of violence,” Wabba said.
The President, NUPENG, Dr. Igwe Achese, enjoined the Federal Government to be more intelligence-led and proactive in order to avert disasters.
In a statement, the TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama; and the Secretary, Musa Lawal, lamented insecurity in the country.
The statement read in part, “This is a bad signal, considering the fact that campaign and election in the state will commence soon. This development is unfortunate and a testimony to the fact that security operatives have so much work to do.
“The incident portrays the country in a bad light before the international community. It is heartbreaking that some Nigerians no longer have regard for human lives.”
NANS demands arrest of masterminds
The National Association of Nigerian Students on Monday asked the police to fish out the masterminds of the attack and prosecute them immediately.
NANS President, Chinonso Obasi, warned that security agents must not “shield anyone responsible no matter the status.”
He said, “The attack on innocent worshippers is nothing but an act of wickedness carried out by mindless beasts in a sacred place of worship. No reason whatsoever is enough to justify any attack on any life, let alone in a congregation of worshippers.
“Justice must be served without shielding anyone involved, no matter the status or reasons for this unfathomable attack.”
ANN seeks justice for victims
A newly formed political group, The Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN, decried the killings.
The group demanded the arrest of all the perpetrators of the dastardly act, describing the incident as “an unimaginable desecration of the house of God.”
ANN in a statement on Monday by a member of the Board of Trustees, Leonard Ebute, said the attack was totally unacceptable.
The statement read in part, “We are not interested in the motivation of the killers or the reason behind such a heinous crime. Security agencies should do a thorough job in fishing out the killers and make them explain to the whole world the reason behind such dastardly act.”
ANN said the trauma caused by the act was better imagined and demanded justice for the victims.
‘Attack, evil against humanity’
The Global Amnesty Watch said the attack was the worst form of evil against humanity.
GAW’s Assistant Country Director, Dr. Chinedu Chukwu, in a statement on Monday, described the attack as an ungodly and wicked act that should be condemned by all.
Chukwu noted that the attack was not only wicked, but barbaric and could only be a “manifestation of the worst form of insanity and mentally deranged minds.”
“We call on security agencies to leave no stone unturned until those involved in the planning and execution of the dastardly act are not only exposed and arrested, but brought to justice.”
The group urged the government to go beyond mere promising to deal with the perpetrators of the attack, saying all efforts should be made to bring the perpetrators to book as it would not only serve as a deterrent to other criminally-minded persons, but would assure all citizens that they were free to practise their faith without any hindrance.
Police contact Interpol on killings
The Nigeria Police Force has solicited the assistance of Interpol for the arrest of the masterminds of the killings.
A Punch correspondent gathered that the police authorities took the decision after preliminary findings indicated that the attack was caused by business disagreement between two drug lords based in South Africa.
It was gathered that the Interpol would be involved in the international aspect of the case, while Nigerian police detectives would go after the local collaborators and perpetrators of the attack.
A source said three suspects had been apprehended by the police in connection with the chilling killings.
Investigation indicated that the NPF, as a member of the Interpol, had access to its I-24/7 network which enabled the 190 member countries to search and cross-check data of suspected criminals, wanted persons, stolen or lost travel documents within seconds.
The INTERPOL I-24/7 system is domiciled at the National Central Bureau at the Force headquarters, Abuja.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, confirmed that the Interpol would be involved in the investigation, adding that the police had already sought its assistance to fast-track the arrest of the suspects living outside the country.
“We are exploring all avenues to ensure that all the perpetrators and masterminds of the killings are arrested and brought to justice. We have already solicited the assistance of the Interpol in arresting the suspects living outside the country,” he said.
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