Police Allege Restricted Veterinary Sedative Used In Murder Of Anambra Community Leader
The alleged use of a restricted veterinary sedative in the killing of an Anambra community leader has raised fresh concerns over the illicit access to controlled substances and the deadly consequences of unresolved communal disputes.
The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested five suspects over the murder of Emmanuel Nwanneniya, a former Chairman and land agent of Ikem Nando Community in Anambra State, following an investigation led by the Force Intelligence Department’s Special Tactical Squad (STS) on the directive of Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
Police alleged that the suspects lured the deceased to a meeting under the pretext of discussing a land purchase before restraining him at gunpoint and injecting him multiple times with a restricted veterinary sedative identified as S.P.L. Ketamine Hydrochloride 500mg/10ml.
They also allegedly forced him to surrender access to his mobile phone and banking applications.
Investigators linked the murder to a long-running dispute over proceeds from community land sales, with police alleging that disagreements over how the funds should be used fuelled months of threats and intimidation against supporters of community development projects.
Coordinator of the STS, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, described the arrests as a major success for intelligence-led policing and urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to tighten controls on restricted drugs to prevent criminal misuse.
Police said investigations are continuing to identify all those connected to the alleged conspiracy, stressing that the suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
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