From Ifeoma Ejiofor
The Anambra State Police Commisioner, Aderemi Adeoye (CP) says the women protest against police was masterminded by criminals.
CP Adeoye in a statement alleged that the protest was an antics of Ozo Jeff Nweke, the owner of Blue Shield Security Company.
The Commisioner of Police said that Ozo Jeff Nweke, an Ozo title holder in Awka is the founder of Blue Shield Security Company and that his operatives are armed with Pump Action Guns.
He said that for years, his operatives and the Police in CPS and ‘B’ Divisions in Awka conduct joint patrol of the metropolis which according to him did not stem the tide of cult-related killings until the Command launched an all out war against cultists in the City which led to arrest and arraignment in court of not less than 40 suspected cultists who were remanded to Prison custody before normalcy was restored.
“Infact a notorious cult killer arrested by operatives of this Command confessed on video that they killed an operative of the Blue Shield Security Company sometime last year because he belonged to a rival cult group!
“In the last three months after my assumption of duty as Commad CP, I have received several petitions from various communities in Anambra State accusing Ozo Jeff Nweke of using armed operatives of his Blue Shield Security Company for land grabbing. I referred all to State CID, Awka headed by DCP Akin Fakorede for investigation.
“Investigation into the cases indicted him for using his armed operatives to seize lands belonging to individuals and communities including Nibo and Enugwu Agidi which shares boundaries with Awka where Ozo Jeff is from.
“On one occasion his operatives shot a Policeman from Delta Command and stole his pistol. He had accompanied his Principal to visit his property in one of the areas Ozo Jeff grabbed land. When CID Operatives who were already investigating the land grab case which is made a crime by laws of Anambra State responded to the scene, Blue Shield guards opened fire on the Team. They were however overwhelmed by the Police Team, disarmed, arrested and detained. They have been arraigned in court.
“I gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the Blue Shield company for the recovery of the stolen Police Pistol or else we would close down the company. DIG Celestine Okoye (Rtd) a friend and associate of Ozo Jeff Nweke called me and I explained to him reason for the ultimatum.
“In the evening of that day, DIG Celestine Okoye called me to his house in Awka and handed over the stolen Pistol to me. I handed it to DC CID whom I called to accompany me as a witness since he was the one handling the investigation.
“When I approved charge in the land grabbing case Ozo Jeff had with Nibo people, he rushed to Abuja in a bid to have the case taken over by Force CID with a view to escaping justice. DIG Force CID rather than taking over the case called for the duplicate Case File for a review in line with IGP’s policy on transfer of cases. At the end of the review this Command was directed by DIG Force CID to carry on with the investigation.
“Ozo Jeff Nweke and operatives of his company have been charged to court in three different cases, one at the Federal High Court and two at the State High Court,” he said.
CP Adeoye said further that despite being served with arraignment notices, Ozo Jeff has refused to appear in court.
He said the police command will be applying for bench warrant for his arrest at the next sitting.
“SIB operatives monitored the motley hired crowd who took off for the protest to State CID Awka from the house of Ozo Jeff Nweke. They were issued with placards and banners prepared by this fugitive from justice,” CP Adeoye explained.
Meanwhile, the people of Enugu-Agidi have embarked on a peaceful protest against Ozo Jeff Nweke over what they called land grabbing tendencies.