Police vow to arrest killers of lady burnt in Ebonyi

By UCHENNA UGWU

The Police Command in Ebonyi has vowed to arrest the killers of 35-year-old Nnenna Onu, the lady burnt to death on Dec. 23, 2021.

Its Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, told journalists in Abakaliki on Thursday that the command would leave no stone unturned in the efforts to arrest the killers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the single lady was set ablaze by her assailants who reportedly dumped her body behind her late father’s house in Onicha-Igboeze, Onicha Local Government Area.

According to the police spokesperson, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aliyu Garba, will not rest until the perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book.

“The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Investigation) will join the team to the community and ensure stakeholders’ involvement in the matter in order help to arrest the perpetrators.

“They will be arrested no matter where they are,” Odah said.

She debunked speculations that the police were not doing anything regarding the matter.

“It is not true that the police are not doing anything.

“Truth is that the matter was reported to us two months after it happened,” she further said.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the state has appealed to the Chairman of the LGA, Mr. Felix Igboke, and other stakeholders to assist the police in fishing out those behind the dastardly act.

The State Coordinator of the Commission, Mr. Christopher Okorie, made the call at a news briefing in Abakaliki.

Okorie said that the commission received the complaint about the incident from the deceased’s mother and sister, Agnes and Juliet, on Feb. 10.

He said the complainants further alleged that the assailants had threatened to kill her and her mother.

He urged the Coordinator of Ezeukwa Development Centre, Mr. Igwe Agwu, the traditional ruler and religious leaders in the community to join in the manhunt for Onu’s killers.

He further appealed to the public to report all cases of human rights violation to NHRC hotline 07060455554, police and others that are involved in human rights defence.

Okorie said: “Evil can be stopped only when it is exposed.

“We passionately call on all good spirited individuals, civil society organisations and other groups to come to the aid of this widow to get justice for her late daughter and safety for them.” (NAN)