PHOTOS: Masquerade arrested, charged for alleged assault captured on video

The police identified the masquerader as Ugwuoke Ebube, who was arraigned after his arrest.

The Police Command in Enugu State has captured a masquerade known as Oriokpa for physically assaulting a woman at the Ugwuoye junction in Nsukka.

Enugu police spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe disclosed this information in a statement on Wednesday, May 22.

Ndukwe revealed that the masquerader has been identified as Ugwuoke Ebube. Although Ebube was arraigned, he was subsequently granted bail.

The statement reads, “Police Operatives serving in the Nsukka Sector of the Enugu State Command’s Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, on May 12, 2024, around 3.45 p.m., intercepted and arrested a masquerade (popularly called Oriokpa) while the wearer was sighted physically assaulting a female victim (names withheld) at Ugwuoye Junction, Nsukka. The masquerader was later identified as one Ugwuoke Ebube “m”, aged 22, of Enugu Road, Nsukka.

“An investigation into the case suggests that the suspect was part of a group of masqueraders that similarly assaulted a female nurse riding a motorcycle, as captured in a viral video in April 2024. He was today, May 22, 2024, arraigned in the Nsukka Magistrate Court of Enugu State, Nigeria, but was granted bail by the court.”

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Kanayo Uzuegbu has condemned the incident and issued a warning to those planning to use cultural masquerade celebrations as a cover for committing assaults against others.

He emphasised that the Command will not hesitate to prosecute anyone guilty of such actions, as demonstrated in the current case.