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By Our Reporter
Nigerian Renaissance Forum Canada (NRFC), said it’s attention has been drawn to the meddlesomeness of the Nigerian Police Command Awka in Anambra State on civil related issues and the culture, tradition of Nri Kingdom.
Nri Kingdom is the Ancestral homeland of all Igbos which practice a culture of democracy, republican and truism having the prejudice to oppression and suppression.
In a statement released and made available to Apex News Exclusive signed by the Country Director of Nigerian Renaissance Forum Canada, Chief Gilbert Ezemo stated that, Concerned Citizens in Nri Land has made available strong case to the NRFC alleging that the police command has been compromised by some money bags in the land whose interest is to foist their hegemonic influence, especially on leaders of kindred, who have the responsibility of conducting legitimate elections in various positions in the kingdom. By this act, they alleged that the due process of election are thwarted using police brutality and excessive power.
The statement wondered why the police command whose duty is to maintain peace and order diverted to taking side, and placing the peaceful habitants in Nri kingdom at daggers drawn.
Just on Sunday, the 12th February, according to NRFC, Umuochiogu Kindred in Obeagu Village had a peaceful elections to elect their leaders, a money bag in their midst invaded the kindred with hillux of police men, which sent jitters, pandemonium to the members of the kindred.
While some member of Nri Kingdom are accusing Anambra Police Commissioner of turning the blind eye, some are calling for urgent intervention and bringing perpetrators to book to avoid distortion of Nri culture and traditions as regard leadership selection, such as the town union, the monarch, the council of chiefs, etc.
It is also alleged that one Chief Ikechukwu Agbogu, (Alias odogwu–asaa) has induced the command financially to control the peace of the Nri kingdom through his boastful funds he doles out.
The group wonder whether this is the kind of community policing, the commissioner was advocating for, whereby meddling into civil, communal, ancestral related matters is accommodated.
They recalled that in 2022 an advocate group in conjunction with the state Commissioner of Police had a retreat on community policing such that, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng called for collaboration between the police and the community where they are serving, for effective policing.
Accordingly, the group noted that, Echeng made same recommendation in a keynote address he presented at the Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) and awards ceremony, in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), in Awka, Anambra State capital. He said part of the requirements for community engagement is building trust, stressing that a community will willingly engage with the Police when there is trust between both parties. According to him, the police must actively cultivate the trust of the community and refrain from any act that endangers that trust. “Confidence, once broken will be difficult to regain. Communities too must endeavour not to abuse this trust. When individuals give false information aimed at achieving selfish objectives, it erodes mutual trust”.
The group, the NRFC is therefore calling on the Nigerian Police Commission NPC to caution the state police command to leave Nri kingdom alone for peace to thrive.”The Civil liberties and the human rights group should take note of this unwholesome police invasion into our community” they stated.
