Six suspects have been arrested by the police for allegedly stripping and parading a widow, Anthonia Okonkwo, at Agunese, Afam-Mmaku community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, November 4, 2022, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ahmed Ammani, has ordered full scale investigation into the incident and prosecution of the culprits.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that the 44-year-old widow was stripped naked and paraded by some youths of the community numbering over twenty on October 27, 2022, over the allegation that she desecrated their shrine by picking snails therein.
“Consequently, six (6) male suspects have been arrested, including one Okoro Stan aged 46, alleged to have led others in perpetrating the act of beating and parading the said victim round the community. Others include: Jonathan Nwangene aged 43, Maduabuchi Madueke aged 34, Obioma Nwangene aged 39, Anikene Samuel aged 24 and Chukwuebuka Agu aged 32. In addition, frantic investigative efforts are ongoing to arrest others at large,” the statement read.
“Meanwhile, ongoing investigation into the case has shown that the suspects also beat up and caused bodily injuries on the victim’s husband and brother, when they attempted to stop them from carrying out the act.
“To this end, the Commissioner, while categorically condemning the said acts of torture, dehumanization and degradation of the person of the victim in contravention of extant laws, especially those bordering on her dignity and fundamental human rights, has further directed that the investigation be concluded within the shortest possible time and the culprits arraigned accordingly.”
“The CP, therefore, urges citizens of the State, particularly traditional rulers and other community leaders, to ensure that utmost caution is exercised when enforcing traditional or customary norms on their subjects, especially if doing so will lead to the contravention of the constitutionally enshrined fundamental rights of the person.”