I must first commend the IGP on his swift response to stem the tide of killing spree that besieged Mmahu Community in Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State by desperate power drunk killer squad led by Eze Augustine I. Iwuogu and Cyracus Helcus Okoro, Honorable Member representing Ohaji/Egbema in Imo House of Assembly. His intervention prevented further escalation of the killings and attempt to circumvent the peace and order maintained by your leadership since the inception of your appointment.
On the 24th day of August, 2020, the Imo state Government through the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Chairman appointed Charles Mgbaraho, Cosmos Nwachukwu and other caretaker committee of Mmahu Town Union. Eze Augustine Iwuogu, Hon. Cyracus Hercules Okoro and Cohort not being satisfied with the election swore and maintained that the appointment was illegal and will not allow the appointees to function in the community. The Eze and Cohort made several attempts to stop the Local Government Chairman from performing the inauguration. Nevertheless the appointees were finally sworn in accordingly.
On 27th August, 2020 the appointees paid him a courtesy call with the caretaker committee and he walked them out of the palace.
On the 15th September, 2020 the Eze publicly announced to the Mmahu Community through a town crier that the state and/or the Local Government has no authority over him or his jurisdiction over the Mmahu community restating that the Government appointed committees does not concern him. Further, he reiterated that the appointment of his chosen Town Union officials is superior and against any pre-existing structure.
On 21st September, 2020 the Imo State Commissioner of Police advised and instructed Eze Augustine I. Iwuagu and Ezinna Charlse Mgbaraoha (blessed memory) the appointed
Town Union President (PG) ‘to go home and make peace’ in the community, yet, the Eze in his usual defiance ignored the Commissioner advise; rather directed his own committee to establish another town union executives against the government appointees. Thereby creating a parallel government in the community.
On the 10th January, 2021, Eze Augustine Iwogu and Hon. Hercules Okoro member representing Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State House of Assembly formed a caretaker committee where one Chinonye Emeagwara was made Chairman. According to Hon. Hercules it was “Government appointed against government Herclus appointed”.
The community began to experience a parallel government in which confusion and lawlessness enveloped the peace loving community. At this point the Eze and his Co-hort recruited a killer gang led by Osita Ogbiri “Ossy” AKA Shina Rambo, a notorious armed cultist that was terrorizing the Local Government Area before his arrest and incarceration in the Owerri Prisons; On 24th April, 2008 and 25th April, 2008 he led a gang who murdered one Augustine Otunne and Bobosha Azunnia from Mmahu and Abacheke communities respectively in order to take control as the leader of the Degbam cult group which lead to his arrest.
The Eze and Heclus Okoro on hearing that the dreaded criminal broke out from prisons received him and made him the leader of the killer-gang and his first onslaught was the attack on the Town Union leadership in a Shina Rambo killing style and eliminated seven (7) of the government appointed excos in cold blood on the 7th February, 2022. An act which kept the community in shock and pandemonium on that fateful day, a seven hours deadly attack operation which took place in the community and thereafter fled.
The IGP showing the stuff he is made of, deployed able investigators to investigate the gruesome murder, in their swift intervention were able to arrest a member of the gang which led to the arrest of other fleeing suspects. Painstaking investigation by the police established a prima facia case bordering on Murder and Criminal Conspiracy. With the approval of the police high command the culprits were arraigned in court on the charge number HOW/786/2022 before Owerri State High Court 17 on the 16th November, 2022 and adjourned to 25th November, 2022.
In a twist of time the faceless sympathizers to the murder suspects in government have deployed their ill-gotten resources with a view to scuttling the course of justice by using the present DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokuma asking that the case pending in court be withdrawn for re-investigation. This raise three or more questions as to where was the interested officer during the incident that took place at Mmahu Community that claimed lives? Where was the officer during the investigation and conclusion of the case by his subordinates who are senior police officers who actually vetted the investigation report or gave the directive that the case be charged to court.
It is spurious that the hardworking persons in the system instead of receiving reward are punished for doing a good work. This pattern should be jettisoned as it kills morale and loyalty in any organization. Attached are the charges.
We are by the above, calling on the Attorney General of Imo State to stop the withdrawal of the case as only him can order the withdrawal of criminal cases at state level where as only AGF can do same at federal level. We are also calling on the IGP to wade into this matter as his DIG KOKUMO after receiving gratification, ordered the transfer of the case to an officer he can control to the advantage of the culprits. We expect nothing short of application of Bench Warrant from the prosecuting officer at the next adjourned date being 25th, November 2022, failure of which will infer total compromise on the part of the Nigeria Police Force
The good people of Imo state and the nation at large are watching and will not allow such officer who is now a willing accomplice to murder case have his way. We are also aware that the DIG has meetings with the fleeing suspects who evade justice by jumping administrative bail as they fail to appear for arraignment. It is senseless and unimaginable that suspects who are on the run will be meeting with serving police officers and be planning to further escape justice and frustrate the painstaking investigation already done by dedicated officers who refused to be compromised. We implore the IGP to personally interview the IPOs to get the crux of the matter.
The EFCC and DSS are encouraged to profile this DIG Kokumo and get his complicity in such heinous crime. The Police Service Commission is further enjoined to take disciplinary action against the earring officer. On the matter, the focal person for the complainants is Chief Saga Kamalu who can be reached via 07037217736