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Police Launch Probe Into Ebonyi Communal Violence
As Lawyer Petitions Police, Amnesty Others
The Police in Ebonyi have launched a probe into the intra-community violence in Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State that has reportedly led to the killing of 500 persons.
The state commissioner of police Aliyu Garba disclosed this during a session with newsmen in Abakaliki, the state capital during which he vowed that no one, no matter his position in society would be spared if indicted.
He specifically said that allegations made against the LG chairman, Clement Odah would not be swept under the carpet.
The assertions by the police boss came in the heels of the killing of 16 persons in Obeagu community in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State reportedly by Fulani herdsmen.
Responding to the petition by some indigenes of Ezza Effium communities in which they made allegations against some high profile personalities as sponsoring the violence, in their community, the Ebonyi police boss said:
“Well, if he (LG chairman) has immunity, it is a different thing entirely. Do LG chairmen have immunity? The constitution provides that it is only the President and Vice, Governor and his Deputy that are covered by immunity. Investigation is still ongoing.
“Even thereafter, they can be charged for whatever offence they did while in office. Investigation has commenced and whoever that is found guilty will be prosecuted.
“People are not just arrested, they must have done something. it is an intra-community crisis and there are recorded issues of serious crimes committed. People have been killed, maimed, houses razed. You can be investigated if you have incited others to do one thing or the other.”
The communities had in a petition filed by their Solicitor, Sampson Ekigbo, dated March 31, 2021,to the Inspector-General of Police called for the intervention of the security agencies to their plight.
The petition on the Ebonyi violence was also copied to the Chief of Defence Staff, National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, Chief of Army Staff, Director-General, Department of State Services and the National Security Adviser.
Ekigbo said, “The crisis has remained unabated due to the various salient reasons including estrangement, political, marginalization, denial of other social-cultural rights/entitlements against Ezza people by the Ufiom people largely because their son, Hon. Clement Odah emerged the Executive Chairman of Ohaukwu council.
“This is not withstanding that the Ezzas compose not less than 80 per cent of Effium autonomous community in Ohaukwu LGA, Ebonyi state. Over 500 Effium indigenes of Ezza extraction have been killed and their properties worth billions of Naira looted/destroyed. For avoidance of doubt, in the present unexpected crisis, we the Ezzas have remained under attack by various combined groups.”
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