Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has placed a N10 million bounty on the heads of the killers of two policemen in the state.
The slain policemen were suspected to have been attacked alongside their colleagues by suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), known as the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Governor Mbah said the state would go after the culprits with every resource at its disposal to bring them to book.
He made the pledge while briefing newsmen after a State Security Council meeting at the Government House, Enugu, which also had in attendance, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu; State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Theresa Egbunu; Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier General Murtala Abu; and the State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Peter Ogar, among others.
Mbah said available security information pointed to men of the ESN who came in several SUVs for the attack.
He called on members of the public to be on the lookout for the criminals and the exhibits, and to report same to security agencies.
“We just rounded off our Security Council meeting where we discussed, among other things, about the gruesome killing of our policemen – men of the Enugu State Police Command – by criminals suspected to be members of the ESN.
“Let me say this, this bestial and cold-blooded action cannot be condoned in Enugu State. I have given my directives to the security agencies that there must be no hiding place for these criminals in Enugu State. We must use everything necessary to hunt down, arrest, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
“We have also placed a bounty of N10 million as a reward to anyone, who would have any useful information that will lead to the arrest of these criminals. So, I enjoin members of the public to, please, come forward, or call the police and other security agencies with any useful information that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.
“We do not have room to accommodate these people, these vagabonds, and these miscreants in our state.
“We are going to do everything necessary to ensure that the ultimate sacrifice made by our valiant policemen does not go in vain.
“Our condolences go to the bereaved families. I will also ensure that as government, we are going to provide the necessary support to the bereaved families.
“Let me just also add, that those who murder our policemen or indeed any member of our security agencies may assume that they have triumphed in their evil acts. Let me inform them that we are going to come after them with everything we have.
“We are going to deploy all the necessary technology, all the necessary forces within our powers to track them, capture them and defeat them. Enugu State and indeed, with the support of the security agencies, we are going to make life uncomfortable for those who do not want to live in a decent society,” Governor Mbah stated.