Enugwu-ukwu community in Njikoka local government area of Anambra State was on weekend agog as five notorious criminals, who were said to be on the wanted list of Anambra State Police Command renounced crime and submitted themselves to the police.
The suspected criminals, which include Mr. Emmanuel Okafor, alias Ten Kobo, and Mr. Nnadozie Nnenwa, a.k.a Uta, both 26 years old took the lead for their gang in renouncing their evil ways.
Okafor and Nnenwa who spoke on behalf of their gang members during the renunciation begged the community for forgiveness, pledging not to return to their old ways.
While stating that their reason for going into crime was joblessness, the suspects made an appeal to well-meaning individuals in the community to help them start a new life by assisting them with something meaningful that will engage them.
The renunciation which came on the heels of a two- day programme put in place by the Enugwu-ukwu Community Development Union headed by the President General (PG) of the community, Mr. Bonny Ozonkwuaku with focus on drug awareness.
The programme featured lectures on dangerous effects of illicit drug, drug consumption, cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape and prostitution.
It also featured an awareness campaign which took the youths of the community to the major roads, sensitising people on the importance of keeping away from such vices.
Residents of the community who were visibly elated told News Express that the gang had been thorns in their flesh.
The President General of the community, Mr. Nkwuaku, while reporting to the traditional ruler, Igwe Ralph Ekpeh earlier, said his leadership believed that only negotiation, dialogue and sound advice, rather than arrest and imprisonment could keep youths of the community off vices.
According to him, members of his executive, together with him, thought out the programme and specifically picked out notorious criminals in the community whom they preached to, on the importance of living drug and crime-free life.
The PG said: “I am particularly happy that this is happening under my watch as president general. We walked around the community and sensitised the people on the need to shun cultism, robbery, drug, prostitution and others.
“These suspected armed robbers who have been on the police wanted list will also receive amnesty today as they have vowed they will not engage in crime again and if they fail, we will now bring to bear the full weight of the law.”
Nkwuaku noted that his executive had met and dialogued with prominent personalities in the community on the possible ways of rehabilitating the repented criminals.
On his part, the Chairman Enugwu-ukwu Youth Forum, Mr. Oddy Akubuike, said that measures have been mapped out to absorb youths that have renounced crime.
“We have bought WAEC forms for the ones that want to go to school, barbing equipment, and others which we will use to empower them.
“We have spoken with various prominent persons in the community and we are going to integrate them into the society through skills acquisition and empowerment.”
The DPO of Enugwu Ukwu police division, Mr. Dan Uke who was present at the event said the suspects have been terrorising the area for a long time, and have also given his men cause for concern, saying that he was surprised to see ‘Ten Kobo’ in his office.
“When the PG brought Ten Kobo to my office early this morning, I was surprised that he accepted to come because we have been looking for him.
“When I saw the look of remorse on his face, I told him I will not arrest him for accepting to come by himself, but I asked him to write an undertaking that he would not engage in crime again,” the DPO stated.
The traditional ruler of the community who was represented by the traditional prime minister, Chief Clement Nwafor expressed delight at the turn out of the programme and the renunciation of crime by the suspected criminals.
He called on youths of the community to engage in meaningful ventures that will take their minds off crime.