Reps committee to conclude investigation on 2019 Aba mayhem soon, says Rep. Prestige

Rep. Ossy Prestige, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, has said that the House of Representatives will upon resumption conclude its investigation into the 2019 mayhem in Aba, the economic hub of Abia.

Prestige, who initiated the investigation into the matter in the house, made the disclosure in an interview with our correspondent in Aba on Tuesday.

He said that the House Committees on Police Affairs/Drugs and Narcotics has concluded plans to invite SP Emeka Oganyi, the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ndiegoro, Aba North Local Govetnment Area of Abia to testify in the crisis.

The lawmaker said, “When the house reconvenes in 2020, it will conclude the investigation, which it started in November 2019 with the testimony of the former Ndiegoro DPO.”

He said the house had invited all the parties in the crisis, including the Abia police and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency as well as residents and victims of the Ndiegoro crisis to also testify in the matter.

Prestige said that the police turned up once after three separate invitations, adding that there was need to hear finally from the DPO, who witnessed the crisis, before concluding the committee’s investigation.

It was reported that in October 2019, some persons, allegedly in police uniforms and vans, visited Ndiegoro, where they burnt over seven houses and vandalised others.

The incident happened in the wake of a clash between the police and some alleged drug addicts.

Prestige claimed to have moved a motion, urging the house to mandate its relevant committees to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident.

He also asked the National Human Rights Commission to set up a panel of enquiry to ascertain the extent of human rights abuses and mete out appropriate sanctions to culprits.

He called for the payment of compensation to innocent landlords and residents of the area affected by the incident.