Police Arrests Two Masquerades Who Are ‘Thieves’ (Photo)

The Police in Nsukka yesterday arrested two men in
masquerade costume in Ovoko Community, Nsukka LGA, Enugu State, for allegedly
beating up a passenger on a commercial motorcycle and robbing him of N57,000.

A police source said policemen moved to the scene when the
victim, Mr. Chinonso Ezewaji, reported the matter to Nsukka Police Area command
and the two men were arrested.

“The escorts of the masquerade however ran away. They were
eight masquerades. They blocked the Nsukka/Obollo-Afor road and harassed
people. The two arrested masquerades however denied collecting the N57,000 from
Ezewaji but claimed they know the person who collected the money from the
victim. When we searched one of the arrested masquerade, we saw Indian hemp in
his pocket,” the police source said.

The victim, Ezewaji, a trader, who deals on clothing
materials, told the News Agency of Nigeria he was on his way from Nsukka to
Obollo-Afor to see his mother when the masquerade stopped the motorcycle he was
riding on.

“They beat me, searched me and collected N57,000. When they
left, I ran into the bush and when I discovered they have gone some distance, I
came out and went to the police to report’’, he said.

The two masquerades identified themselves as Kenchukwu Eze,
a carpenter, and Ejiofor Eze, a brick-layer. They, however, denied the
allegation that they stole money from Ezewaji. They claimed that their
colleague, Chima Mamah, stole the money.

Eze, however, admitted that the police saw Indian hemp in
his pocket, saying it was the leftover of what they smoked before coming out.

“If the police release me, I will not wear masquerade
costume, nor smoke Indian hemp again,” he pleaded.

Vanguard