The Anambra Police Command has dismissed as “false and mischievous,” a social media report that some terrorists made attempt to burn a church in Awada area of the state on Sunday.
In a rejoinder issued by Anambra Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, he said the post which emanated from one Chinasa Nworu is a scheme “to cause tension in the State by inciting ethnic/religion hatred and conflict.”
He maintained that the Command will never yield to any plot to thwart the peace in the state, and added that the CP has ordered an investigation of the Facebook user who made the post.
The rejoinder reads in full:
The attention of the Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a publication from a facebook user, Chinasa Nworu saying that “Four Fulani Terrorist sneaked into Awada Grace of God church on Sunday 3/7/2022 in the evening to bomb the church. As few people were still in the church. One of them was captured and burnt to ashes. While three of them escaped and ran into the Nigeria military barrack in that area”. It is not only false but a complete mischievous scheme by mischief makers to cause tension in the State by inciting ethnic/religion hatred and conflict. The Police Command will never allow bad elements in any guise to distract the peace we enjoy in the state.
To put the record straight, the Command wishes to state as follow, at about 3pm on same date, the Command received a distress call, along Nepa road Awada, that male criminal, Name and Address unknown was set ablaze. The operatives, on arrival at the scene made enquiries from eyewitness, shows that the victim is a criminal caught in an attempt to rob an innocent citizen before he was lynched and set ablaze by angry mob.
Also, from the geographical map in the area shows there is no Military Barrack close to where the incident occurred. It was just a mischievous and sensational reaction by the Facebook user to achieve his selfish desire from the unfortunate incident. Recall the Command have always condemn the act of mob action by some members of the public who resort to jungle justice whenever they arrest suspects in respect of any crime without recourse to the Police for proper investigation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng has ordered immediate investigation on the Facebook user, describing the mendacious publication as unfortunate and one that is capable of misinforming and misleading the general public. He also warned its originators and peddlers to desist forthwith, as they will not be spared if apprehended.
