The Ohafia Improvement Union (OIU), the apex socio-cultutal and development association for the ancestral clan, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Poiice to probe the arrest of seven persons testifying before a Panel of Inquiry on Okon-Aku Ohafia communal crisis, and order their immediate release, for not having committed an offence.

The petition, dated February 6 and signed by the OIU President-General, Prince kalu Ikpemini, was delivered at Force Headquarters, Abuja on Friday, and it received the acknowledgement of the Inspector-General’s office, according to a copy shared in statement by the Association’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Emele Onu.

The OIU said in the petition, it condemned the timing, context and manner of the arrest, which it reiterated involved persons who were either testifying or preparing to testify before a government panel.

Policemen from Abuja on Thursday arrested seven persons appearing for testimony at the Abia State’s Government’s panel on Okon-Aku crisis. The arrests were made during the sitting of the panel, at its premises, at JAC Building, in Umuahia, the state capital.

It will be recalled that in early January, crisis broke out at Okon-Aku over Ezieogo stool disagreements, which snowballed into killing and arson. The Abia State government set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the crisis, identify culprits and make recommendations to prevent future occurance.

“Arresting individuals who are cooperating with a state-sanctioned inquiry constitute serious procedural irregularity which threatens the integrity, independence and reliability of the panel’s work'” the OIU said.

“The arrest will create a perception of intimidation and risk, discouraging the witnesses from coming forward to testify, obstructing the fact-finding mission to resolving the crisis” it added.

It reiterated call for the Nigerian police chief to review the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the witnesses, suspend any further arrests and issue clear directives to the police hierarchy to guarantee that all witnesses can testify freely, safely and without fear of reprisal harassment, it stated.

“Our community earnestly desires lasting peace and reconciliation which can only be achieved through a transparent and uncoerced inquiry into the root causes of the Okon-Aku crisis,” the OIU said.