The Enugu State Police Command has detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka axis of the state over a viral assault video, where the masqueraders were captured attacking law-abiding citizens.
The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement in Enugu on Wednesday, that police operatives and law-abiding members of the community apprehended the suspects on June 23, 2025, at 3:30 pm.
He said that the arrest of the detained male suspects was in connection with the physical assault of innocent citizens by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on June 22, 2025, as captured in the viral video.
“The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa‘ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them.
“One of the victims was hospitalised for treatment due to injuries sustained during the attack.
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“The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene.
“However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said.
The spokesman said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the case to ensure that justice is served.
Ndukwe said that the commissioner emphasised that masquerade celebrations are a sacred and symbolic aspect of the nation’s culture.
He said that the state police boss, however, decried the actions of those who exploited the occasion to commit criminal acts.
He said that the commissioner warned against the use of cultural festivities as a cover for fomenting trouble and committing crimes against fellow citizens, as perpetrated by the ‘Oriokpa’ masqueraders.
