Oko killings: Lawyers tackle Anambra CP

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A civil society group, the League of Igbo Youth Lawyers, has criticized the Anambra State Commissioner of Police CP Ikioye Orutugu, over his alleged threat to shut the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state, at the wake of gunmen attack and killings that occurred in the community last Thursday.

The group alleged that the CP had threatened to shut the school during his visit to the scene of the attack on Friday, where he went to engage with the leadership of the town’s union and student union leaders.

The lawyers further claimed that the CP, during the meeting with the stakeholders, blamed the residents for the attacks and allegedly threatened to send the police to deal with the people if the disturbances continued.

Some yet-to-be-identified assailants last Thursday, June 19, attacked the Oko community, near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, killing no fewer than four persons suspected to be students and injuring about seven others.

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The hoodlums also kidnapped two other persons, thereby causing panic in and around the institution.

The hoodlums were said to have arrive the area and started shooting sporadically in an incident that was later attributed to be cult-related by the police authorities.

South-East Punch gathered that during the visit on Friday, the CP also interacted with the hospital’s management, where some of the victims were receiving treatment and also offered some assistance.

In a viral video that circulated online, the CP was seen engaging the town’s union leadership and other stakeholders.

Reacting to the development, the group, in a communique issued by its National Secretary, Obinnaya Asiegbu and made available to South-East Punch in Awka, on Monday, wondered how the CP, felt justified to employ “blame tactics” on the innocent community even when investigations into the tragedy were supposed to be ongoing.