A Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu has remanded several suspected hoodlums accused of carrying out violent attacks and vandalising public infrastructure in Mburubu community, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The suspects, who were arraigned by the Enugu State Police Command, are alleged to be linked to the State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Engr. Lawrence Ezeh.
Their arraignment followed sustained public outcry and investigations triggered by reports published by SaharaReporters, which detailed coordinated attacks on Mburubu community by armed hoodlums. The reports alleged that residents were assaulted, properties destroyed, and electricity infrastructure deliberately vandalised during the attacks.
Following the reports, journalists and independent observers visited the community, where residents recounted how armed men invaded Mburubu, instilling fear and panic while targeting electricity facilities, including transformer cables and electric wires. The destruction reportedly plunged large parts of the community into darkness, disrupting economic activities and worsening conditions for small business owners, students, and vulnerable households.
Police investigations led to the arrest of suspects accused of participating in the vandalism of electric and transformer wires. The suspects were subsequently charged and arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Chukwuani on Friday, December 19, 2025.
During the proceedings, the presiding Magistrate, His Worship Magistrate Chukwuani, questioned one of the suspects, Chigbo Nworji Nwafor, on responsibility for cutting the electric wires in the community. Nwafor told the court that he acted on the instruction of the community’s Chief Security Officer, Augustin Edeh, popularly known as Akpaka.
When called upon to respond, Edeh declined to speak, stating that his lawyer would address the court. His counsel, Barrister Ikeozor, informed the court that Engr. Lawrence Ezeh was interested in the matter and urged the court to dismiss the case and discharge the suspects.
The submission sparked reactions among observers, as it neither denied the allegations nor addressed the suspect’s claim that the vandalism was carried out on instruction.
In a ruling delivered from the bench, the Magistrate rejected the application for dismissal and ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Centre pending further hearing. The case was adjourned to a later date.
The development has intensified public attention on the crisis in Mburubu community, which has been marked by repeated allegations of violence, intimidation, and political interference. Community members who followed the proceedings described the court’s decision as a step toward accountability, while calling on security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and justice for victims.
Leave a Reply