PRESS RELEASE: ALLEGED TENSION AS FULANI HERDSMEN SACK COMMUNITIES IN ENUGU.

CP Ojukwu

The attention of the Enugu state command of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various publications in some sections of the media dwelling on

(1)Herdsmen Scare: Enugu Community Abandons  Farmland  as reflected in Daily Sun of August,2016 page 5.

(2)Tension as Fulani Herdsmen Sack Communities in Enugu as also reflected in Saturday Telegraph of  13th August, 2016 Page 8.

Enugu State Command hereby present the fact as follows for the guidance of members of the public who may have been misinformed:

(i) That the two communities Ohom Orba and Opi Agu are Autonomous communities located at Udenu and Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state Respectively.

(ii)That the two communities are calm  and peaceful and with people moving about their normal lawful business without molestations by any individual or group of persons.

(iii) That the two communities have Divisional Police officers and police personnel and that within the period under review,no adverse report dwelling on any alleged Pastoralist issue has been recorded against the two communities.

(1V)That since the posting of the present commissioner of police Emmanuel Ojukwu,that there has been relative peace in the state as issues relating  to rumour mongering about alleged planned attack by pastoralist amongst others are being checkmated through deliberate and planned action of Sensitization of communities/Meeting with traditional rulers in the state,Local government chairmen and  leaders of the Herdsmen on the Need not to take Laws into their Hands but to report any issue promptly to any nearby police Division or Formation as well as other security Agencies.

(v) That the reporters in the two of the dailies mentioned are not based in Enugu.While one is based in Abuja,the other is based in Onitsha in Anambra state and would not have known better than the reporter based in Enugu who would have reported the issue if such had existed.

(V1)That the report is viewed not only as false and misleading but  as a calculated attempt to cause fear,Panic and stimulate one section of the people against the other.The reporters ought to have exhibited the spirit of investigative reportage which encourages investigations and confirmation of story before they are published to avoid misinforming law abiding members of the public that have toed the line of peace in the state.

  That in view of the above,the command further wish to advise those in the habit of reporting or publishing  concocted  stories aimed at achieving their selfish aim  of scoring cheap goal of inflicting fear/creating panic as well as instigating one section of the people against each other to desist from such as  the State command working in partnership with other  sister Agencies will not hesitate to take necessary legal action within its powers against such person or group of persons.

SP EBERE  AMARAIZU

POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

ENUGU STATE POLICE COMMAND.