A group of masquerades have been paraded by the police for allegedly beating and harassing people in a market.
The masquerades, said to be six in number were arrested at Okwor Ngbo market in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for their assault, and going against ban on parading masquerades on market days.
According to reports, the leaders of the Ngbo community had earlier warned the youths against using masquerades to harass and extort market women.
According to reports, the leaders of the Ngbo community had earlier warned the youths against using masquerades to harass and extort market women.
Speaking on this, the Deputy speaker of Ebonyi State House Of Assembly, Hon. Onah Chinedu Ogba said any masquerades caught in Okwo Market and major roads will face the wrath of the law. “We are not in any way preaching against the cultural displays such as masquerading but it should be on our various village squares and playground.
Okwo market is a place for exchange of goods and services and host people from different place and cultural backgrounds and masquerading distracts the business activities and subjects people to unnecessary tense and running around which has led many to sustaining serious injuries and therefore should be stopped entirely”.
“Consequently, it has been aired and further announced that any masquerade caught around the aforementioned places will face the wrath of the law as hoodlums use the opportunity to display their cultic fracas, witch-hunt people and further give people injuries which is the opposite of the original intents of our forefathers.
“More so, all the native doctors in Okwo market are also advised to take all their activities and enchantments out from okwo market but to their different destinations as anyone caught in such an act will have more regrets than gains.”
