The
Police in Nsukka on Saturday arrested two men in masquerade costume in Ovoko
Community, Nsukka LGA, Enugu State, for allegedly beating up a passenger on a
commercial motorcycle and robbing him of N57,000.
The
incident happened on the Nsukka/Oballo-Afor highway.
A
police source said policemen moved to the scene when the victim, Mr. Chinonso
Ezewaji, reported the matter to Nsukka Police Area command and the two men were
arrested.
“The
escorts of the masquerade however ran away.
“There
were eight masquerades. They blocked the Nsukka/Obollo-Afor road and harassed
people.
“The
two arrested masquerades however denied collecting the N57,000 from Ezewaji but
claimed they know the person who collected the money from the victim.
“When
we searched one of the arrested masquerade, we saw Indian hemp in his pocket,”
the police source said.
When
contacted, Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere
Amarizu, confirmed the incident, saying investigation had commenced on the
matter.
He
urged communities to regulate and monitor those who wear masquerade costumes,
adding that some of them used the opportunity to harass, intimidate and rob
innocent members of the public.
“The
Police are not against the people practising their tradition and culture but
community leaders must know the character of people they allow to wear costumes
of masquerade in the name of culture.
“A
masquerade has no right to mount road block on busy highways where motorists,
motorcyclists and other road users move on daily basis.
“The
police have commenced investigation and will get to the root of this matter as
issues of masquerade disturbing people have become a recurring decimal,”
Amarizu said.
The
victim, Ezewaji, a trader, who deals on clothing materials, told the News Agency of
Nigeria he was on his way from
Nsukka to Obollo-Afor to see his mother when the masquerade stopped the
motorcycle he was riding on.
“They
beat me, searched me and collected N57,000.
“When
they left, I ran into the bush and when I discovered they have gone some
distance, I came out and went to the police to report.
The
two masquerades identified themselves as Kenchukwu Eze, a carpenter, and
Ejiofor Eze, a brick-layer.
They,
however, denied the allegation that they stole money from Ezewaji
They
claimed that their colleague, Chima Mamah, stole the money.
Eze,
however, admitted that the police saw Indian hemp in his pocket, saying it was
the leftover of what they smoked before coming out.
“If
the police release me, I will not wear masquerade costume, nor smoke Indian
hemp again,” he pleaded.
Source: Vanguard Online
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