Abia to compensate families of slain police officers, victims of brutality

The families of policemen killed in Aba during Tuesday’s gunmen attack on the convoy of Abia State Commissioner of Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chimezie Ukaegbu, would receive adequate compensation from the Abia State Government.

This is even as the state government has promised that innocent traders in Aba who were brutalized by policemen on reprisal attacks, would also be compensated by the state government.

The State Governor, Alex Otti gave the promise in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, where he condemned the gruesome murder of the policemen in Aba, by unidentified gunmen.

Governor Otti, who described the attack on the police officers by yet to be identified gunmen as cruel, unjust and highly provocative, said the attack should be condemned by all men and women of good conscience.

He further condemned in strong terms, the reprisal attack allegedly carried out by some police officers against some innocent citizens in the city of Aba on Wednesday, describing the conducts of such policemen as lawless and counterproductive, since the victims had not been proven to be directly or indirectly involved in the attack that led to the death of the two police officers.

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Otti stated that he immediately got police authorities to withdraw the officers who were brutalizing innocent citizens from the affected areas, saying that the move paved the way for the return of peace and normalcy in the Aba area.

“Governor Otti assures that his government would do everything within its powers to ensure that the killers of the Police Officers and their sponsors are brought to justice and that those Police officers who took laws into their hands by brutalizing innocent citizens and destroying people’s properties are also made to face the law. He insists that two wrongs can never make a right.

“Finally, the Governor has also promised to ensure that adequate compensation is paid to the families of the slain Officers and to innocent citizens who were brutalised and their properties destroyed,” he said.

The Abia Governor disclosed that credible intelligence has revealed the possible source of the attack, adding that security forces have already swung into action to route out all forms of criminality in the state.

He, therefore, called on Abians to go about their legitimate businesses without fear, assuring them that his government would continue to place priority on the welfare and security of all Abians.

The move to compensate the Aba traders have been welcomed by some victims of Wednesday’s police reprisal attacks, especially those who were either injured or had their goods destroyed by angry policemen mourning their colleagues.