New Yam festival shootings : Eze Njoku says ,”I am a man of peace, I love people , will not allow harm to come their way

Eze Nicholas Njoku , the Ezendigbo  of Aigbaka  Ejigbo has stated that he is a man of peace and will not bring harm to anyone . Eze Njoku stated this during a press conference in Lagos where he  reacted to controversies surrounding indiscriminate  shootings, intimidation of journalists by policemen and his alleged refusal to call the power drunk  police men to order during a New Yam  festival he held at the Ejigbo community recently.

He said ” The Igbo community in Ejigbo to be specific Aigbaka Ejigbo in which I am their Eze, we celebrated our New Yam festival on 30th of September.  During  that event, the crowd was much so after the event, I started seeing on social media that some people were assaulted. I inquired further and I heard that there was rapid shootings in the air by policemen. I am aware that I had two policemen attached to me and I know these men are well educated on what to do in any situation. However, the fact remains that on that very day, the pressure was much, the crowd was much also and many dignitaries that attended the event came with their police escorts so it was after the event that I heard reports of shooting and assaults at the event. I am not disputing the said occurrences because I was not the one holding a rifle.  What I am not sure of is the actual police man who shot or assaulted”

Further distancing himself from the said shooting Eze Njoku stated.

” Actually, there wasn’t any casualty but I noticed at a stage the policemen trying to close the gate and block people from coming in because the crowd was much. It was also reported that some boys where trying to get in. Immediately, I   summoned the head of security in the school gate and he explained why these boys were not allowed in citing them as people that might disrupt the event but I  insisted that the event is free for all and there are policemen who can handle such situations if the need arises. So I do not know the exact thing that caused the shooting in the air. My attached policeman has asked his colleagues on that day and nobody seems to have done such shooting. There where so many policemen and even army officers, OPC present that day ”

Eze Njoku also denied the  allegation that he snubbed complaint made to him about the misuse of firearms by the policemen at the event.

He said ” Rumours also spread that someone or some journalists came to me reporting about the violent activities of the police that day and that I challenged them. I want to clarify that such a thing never happened and nobody came to me. As a peacemaker and a United Nation Ambassador, I will not do such or allow such an incident to happen. I cannot work without the journalists and I can not fight journalists. They are important to the society and I know they are needed both now and in the future. So I  can not disobey their advice or fail to listen to their complaints. Also,  about the complaints laid about policemen telling journalists to go home if they can’t stand the shooting I want to state that I asked my police escort and such claims was refuted however they were many visiting police officers and not all of them we can reach. In  conclusion I have a great job to do for my people that I can bring peace and unity for my people ‘the Igbos’ and the society at large but I must start from somewhere. All that allegedly occurred during this event is an eye opener for me and the journalists  who have criticized this event online have challenged me to do better and I want to apologize to them and draw them closer because their criticism is an  eye opener”.

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