Anambra Police Debunk Story on Attempted Attack on Church by Fulani Terrorists

By Jude Atupulazi

The Anambra State Police Command has debunked a story that went viral on the social media over the weekend about four Fulani terrorists that attempted to bomb the Grace of God Mission in Awada, Onitsha.

The publication which was on the Facebook page one Chinasa Nworu, claimed that the suspected terrorists sneaked into the said church on Sunday, June 3 in the evening to bomb the church as few people were still inside but that one of them was captured and burnt to ashes, while three of escaped and ran into the Nigeria military barracks in that area.

But reacting to the story, the spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, described it as not only false but a complete mischievous scheme by mischief makers to cause tension in the state by inciting ethnic/religious hatred and conflict. He said the Police Command would never allow bad elements in any guise to distract the peace enjoyed in the state.

‘To put the record straight, the Command wishes to state that about 3pm on same date, the Command received a distress call along NEPA Road, Awada, that  a male criminal, name and address unknown, was set ablaze. The operatives, on arrival at the scene,made enquiries from eyewitness and found out that the victim was a criminal caught in an attempt to rob an innocent citizen before he was lynched and set ablaze by angry mob,’ Ikenga stated.

He said that from the geographical map in the area, it was discovered that there was no military barracks 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 that the Command has always condemned 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,’ Ikenga further stated.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Echeng Echeng, has ordered immediate investigations on the Facebook user, describing the publication as mendacious, unfortunate and one capable of misinforming and misleading the general public. He also warned its originators and peddlers to desist forthwith as they would not be spared if apprehended