Elders and leaders of Ukhiri Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo state have appealed to the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba to save them from the antics of the Enogie of the community HRH Godwin Osayande Aigbe and his allies who have made life in the area a living hell.
The elders comprising some aged women and some youths made the appeal on Monday when they staged a peaceful protest to the State Police Command and the Edo State Government House, Benin.
Some of the placards bore various instructions including, Inspector General of Police, come to our rescue; Aigbe, the Enogie of Ukhiri is killing us; Enogie is promoting crises in Ukhiri; Enogie says no one can touch him because he is highly connected in the police circle; help us, we are dying, among others.
Speaking at the Police Command Headquarters during the peaceful protest, their leader Mr Orobosa Uwadiae told the state Commissioner Abutu Yaro that indigenes of Ukhiri community have been forced to desert their ancestral home following the violence allegedly orchestrated by the Enogie and his allies which has led to the killing of innocent people.
Mr Uwadiae supported by Mr Ekogiawe Julius said the protest followed recent security breaches in the community resulting in the shooting of a member of the community by the hoodlums allegedly on the pay roll of the Enogie of Ukhiri, leading to his arrest by the police and transfer to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for further investigation.
They told the police commissioner who was represented by the Public Relations Officer CSP Chidi Nwabuzor that they were forced to lead the protest to the police authorities following information at their disposal that some powerful personalities from the state had gone to Abuja to effect the release of their tormentor so that he could continue to harm the people.
They appealed to the police authorities not to release the Enogie but that he should be charged to court to face prosecution for his misdeeds.
They alleged that the Enogie and his hatchet men’s land grabbing activities have led to the killing of some persons in the community some of whose corpses were discovered in shallow graves and the cases under investigation by Security agencies.
Responding, the Police Image maker CSP Chidi Nwabuzor informed the protesters of the ability of the Office of the Inspector General of Police to handle the case, stressing that all the case files concerning the Ukhiri crises have been sent to Abuja for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The PPRO however assured them of the Edo Police Command’s determination to deal with any reported fresh incident in the community just as he commended the protesters for their peaceful dispositions during the exercise which took off from the Kings Square, through the Police Headquarters and terminated at the Government House gate.
