The Enugu State Police Command has apprehended three male suspects following a violent incident involving the Oriokpa Masquerade group in Nsukka. The incident, which occurred on June 22, 2025, involved the physical assault of several members of the public and was captured in a widely circulated video online.
According to the spokesperson for the Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Daniel Ndukwe, the arrested individuals are believed to be part of a group that used the occasion of the traditional masquerade celebration to perpetrate unprovoked attacks on innocent residents.
These attacks reportedly led to bodily harm, with at least one victim sustaining serious injuries that required hospitalisation.
The masqueraders, upon the arrival of law enforcement personnel, initially resisted arrest and fled the scene. However, with the cooperation of vigilant and responsible members of the local community, three of the suspects were later identified and taken into custody by officers attached to the Nsukka Urban Police Division.
SP Ndukwe stated that others involved in the incident remain at large, but efforts are ongoing to apprehend them. He further noted that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed that a full-scale investigation be launched to ensure a thorough prosecution of all culprits and that justice is served.
Commissioner Giwa, while commenting on the matter, condemned the abuse of cultural events as a platform for lawlessness. He reiterated that while masquerade festivals hold significant traditional and spiritual value, they must never be used as an excuse to harm others or disrupt public peace.
He warned that the police would not tolerate the misuse of cultural or religious practices to commit crimes and assured residents that all perpetrators of the Nsukka assault would face the full wrath of the law.
The Enugu State Police Command has also urged the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the remaining suspects.