The police in Ebonyi State has raised alarm over youth restiveness and extra-judicial killings in the state.
The force expressed worry that youths in various communities in the state now take laws into their hands.
It, however, vowed to bring them to book to ensure law and order.
The State Commissioner of Police, Anthonia Adaku Uche-Anya said this in Abakaliki, the state capital on Thursday during a meeting with local government chairmen, traditional rulers, town union presidents and other stakeholders of various communities in the state.
She observed that many youths in the state burn properties for perceived wrong done to them while some carry out mob action against perceived suspects which has caused many deaths in the communities
She warned that the command would not only hold the perpetrators of such acts accountable but stakeholders of the communities the perpetrators come from, for allowing such ugly incidents
The Commissioner of Police said she held the meeting for the stakeholders to join hands with the police to police their communities and maintain law and order.
Uche-Anya said, “I would like to bring to your knowledge the spate of youth restiveness that we are witnessing in our communities, extra-judicial activities being carried out in our communities. For instance, our youths take laws into their hands, burning and destroying properties belonging to innocent people for perceived wrong done to them. Some carry out mob action most times leading to deaths of victims for perceived offences which are only meant for courts to determine.
“This kind of illegal activity must stop. The dangers of this kind of activity are that most times, people use it to settle scores with perceived enemies. Sometimes, they set people up and people start reasoning or thinking, the deed would have been done. Since I came, there have been several of such activities. Some due to prompt response, we were able to save the victims, some others before help could come, suffered extreme cases of fatal situations leading to deaths.
“I am pleading with all of us that these kinds of activities must stop. We have a legal way of ensuring that justice is done. I implore all of us to follow due process; otherwise, I will not hold only the perpetrators accountable, but the stakeholders in the communities that could not hold their wards or their youths to order.”
