Police arrest 2 over alleged communal violence incitement

The Police Command in Anambra says it has arrested two suspects over alleged circulation of misleading video content capable of escalating communal tensions in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka on Wednesday.

Ikenga said the suspects allegedly created and circulated misleading video content and inflammatory claims capable of escalating the communal dispute between Aguleri and Umuoba Anam communities.

He said the content also sought to drag the peaceful Umueri community into the dispute.

The three communities are located in Anambra East Local Government Area.

According to him, the suspects, identified as Messrs Peter Chimezie and Sunday Offordile, were arrested in the early hours of Oct. 26 following community intervention and subsequently handed over to the police.

Ikenga said preliminary information indicated that the suspects were allegedly intercepted while recording a video featuring some indigenes of Umueri returning lawfully from their farms.

He said that the video was accompanied by claims portraying the individuals as armed persons from Aguleri allegedly waiting to attack and kill anyone from Umuoba Anam passing through the route.

The police spokesman said that the circumstances surrounding the recording and circulation of the video, including its authenticity, origin and intended purpose, were being investigated.

He expressed concern that deliberately circulating misleading information could provoke reprisal, heighten communal tensions and undermine ongoing peace building efforts.

Ikenga said that the suspects made statements relevant to the allegations during preliminary interrogation, adding that the investigation was ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

He said that the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Mr Nnanna Ama, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, maintaining public order and preventing the escalation of communal disputes.

Ama said that the objectives would be achieved through timely, intelligence-led policing and effective collaboration with community stakeholders.

He cautioned members of the public against recording, publishing or circulating unverified content and provocative narratives capable of inciting hostility or triggering violence between neighbouring communities.

The commissioner urged residents to verify information before sharing it and report credible security concerns through appropriate channels.

He also appealed to the people of Aguleri, Umuoba Anam and Umueri to remain calm, exercise restraint and support ongoing peace initiatives.

“No individual or group should take the law into their own hands or engage in retaliatory actions based on unverified information,” he said.

Ama said the command would continue engaging traditional rulers, community leaders, vigilance groups and other stakeholders to sustain peace and ensure that anyone found culpable of criminal conduct faced the law.

It was reported that the communal clash, reportedly triggered by a boundary dispute on Oct. 2, claimed five lives.

It also left many injured and resulted in the destruction of property whose value was yet to be determined.