Aderemi Adeoye, the commissioner of police for Anambra State, has denied rumours that the most recent Black Easter cult fighting in the state capital of Awka claimed the lives of nineteen people. At a conference hosted by the State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Emeka Odogwu, Adeoye revealed this information in order to provide an update on his stewardship, which was dubbed “Finishing Strong”. He promised that the precise death toll would be released shortly by the Command.
The CP, represented by Akin Fakorede, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), asked the media to confirm the veracity of their reports before publishing them in order to prevent backlash. Adeoye stated that the police have launched an offensive against cultists and other criminal groups, emphasising that the recent killings connected to cults are an isolated incident that coincides with the police’s recent dominance of the field. The head of police clarified that abduction is a serious crime and a threat to national security. He also denounced the current legislation against it, calling it insufficient and reactive and calling for an immediate review to make it more proactive.
Two people were shot dead at Aroma and Dine Park near Eke Awka Main Market, respectively, and one person perished in Dike Street, Ukwudala Amikwo, Obunagu, Umuonaga, Umukwa villages, and Amaenyi quarters. The attacks have claimed 14 lives, the majority of them youths and young adults from Awka. Aside from Parker’s Joint and Eke Awka, Udeke Street was the scene of four deaths between Sunday and Tuesday. Residents and stakeholders have expressed shock at the assassination of another well-known youth organiser on Tuesday at the same Parker’s apartment block where he resides, and they have urged government and security officials to stop the heinous conduct in advance.
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However, the CP pointed out that police officers have lost a great deal of their lives while performing their jobs, and they maintained that police work should continue even in the face of a death threat. He expressed gratitude for the friendly relationship that now exists between the State’s Police Command and journalists, emphasising that the media has played a major role in the accomplishments that the Command has accomplished while he has been in charge. According to Adeoye, the Command would continue its campaign against insecurity in the state and has lately launched a number of new proactive policing programmes and techniques.
In his speech, the command’s spokesperson, Ikenga Tochukwu, stated that proactive and preventive policing has resulted in a decrease in crime in the state since CP Adeoye’s arrival in July 2023. He claims that the command, among other places, has demolished the rebels’ encampment at Achalla, Ogbunka, Aguluezechukwu, and Ogboji. He claimed that in addition to recovering weapons and ammunition from insurgent camps and sites in Awada and Ogidi and Ekwulobia, they also freed abduction victims and retrieved three Beretta handguns from cultists.
In the context of protecting citizen lives and property, he pointed out that the stakeholders’ cooperation and engagement with the Police Command, as well as their ongoing synergy with the media and other pertinent agencies, are producing beneficial results. Earlier, during his welcome speech, State NUJ Chairman Odogwu praised the accomplishments made possible by CP Adeoye’s security actions as well as the other successes that have been achieved thus far.
