Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Concerned citizens of Amagu, Agbada Nenwe Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have protested the continued detention of five of their kinsmen since November 2023 without trial.
Those currently detained in the Enugu Correctional Service are: (1) WISDOM NWACHUCHKWU (2) MONDAY MBA (3) IKECHUKWU UDEH (4) KENNETH NWAROH and (5) AMECHI UDEH.
The protesters carrying placards with the inscriptions such as, “save our community from crisis,” “release our citizens,” “they are innocent,” and “we want immediate freedom of our innocent brothers,” amongst others.
The protesters compromising men, women, youths, including wives and children of the detained citizens marched through Okpara Square Enugu to the Office of the State Chief Judge and the office of the Attorney General of the state.
They also took their protest to the State House of Assembly and the Government House where they delivered letters to the Speaker of the assembly and the Governor’s office respectively.
Addressing the protesters at the AG’s office, a senior of official, who declined to give her name, told the protesters that the state attorney general was already on the case and assured them that the matter would be resolved as quickly as possible.
“I am aware of the case and the attorney general is already on the matter.
“I assure you that the case will be disposed of latest next week to ensure that those found wanting will face the law while those not culpable will be allowed to go home,” she said.
Speaking to Journalists after the protest, the wife of one of the detained persons, Mrs Blessing Wisdom, said that she had suffered untold hardship as a single mother of four since her husband was detained.
She accused the present leaders of the community of masterminding the continued detention of her husband and others in the Enugu Correctional Service.
Also speaking, Mrs Eunice Nwaroh, lamented that the detained five persons were from the same clan.
She said that life has been difficult for her and her children since the arrest and detention of their breadwinner and others.
“The present community leaders are threatening to terminate our lives and they are also making life difficult for us in the community since our husbands were taken away.
“We want government to help us as our lives are in danger in our own community.
“What we want is justice and nothing but justice, let the law take its course on this matter, that is all we want,” she said.
