* Arewa Community Boils For Retaliation
Police in Delta state said the ring leader and master minder of the attack on the Hausa settlement in Asaba, the state capital which resulted to the killing of no fewer than four persons have been arrested.
The state Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim who disclosed this during a meeting of heads of the Department of State Security (DSS), Army, Police and other sister security agencies with the Arewa community and stakeholders in Asaba disclosed that the ringleader was arrest following a tip-off, “By the grace of God, the mastermind of the whole escapade got into our hands this afternoon, (Saturday) and he is helping us in investigation”.
According to the police boss who presided over the meeting at the Officers Mess in Okwe, Asaba, charged members of the Arewa community not to resort to self-help neither allow themselves to be carried away with the ugly incidence, cautioning that “When you lost a property or something very important, your senses should not follow that thing or you will lose your senses also. You should always try to maintain those senses that will help you to pick up the pieces of your life and go on with your life”.
Other heads of security outfits who spoke separately advocated for the maintenance of peace and order in the state, saying it is not the question of an eye for an eye, even as they appealed for cooperation and provide credible information as a way of assisting the security agencies in doing better.
They assured the people that any information given would be professionally and confidentially handled.
“We have religious leaders, elders, we are calling on people to be calm, to fear God and allow authorities to take over the situation so that it will not go out of hand. We should never contemplate of taking laws into our hands, it is very wrong.” one of the heads of the security outfits said.
Earlier, a cross section of Arewa who spoke during the meeting expressed their dissatisfactions over the Friday’s incidence, calling on the state government and security agencies to braze up to their responsibilities.
They accused the governor Ifeanyi Okowa led government of allegedly exposing them to attacks as there are no security plans put in place to secure their lives and property.
“We are not happy that up till now no government official has come to see how we are faring since the killing of our people occurred on Friday. If we call our people and let them know how we are being treated here, they will retaliate. We are ready to fight with the last drop of our blood. We are not going to run, we are here” and commended the quick response of the police on the situation but that the police should do more to save them from further attacks.
It was observed that as at on Friday when the incident happened, governor Okowa along side his cabinet, lawmakers among others were attending an event at the University of Ibadan.
