Ezza-Effium crisis: Lawmaker petitions IGP over mass destruction of lives, properties in Ebonyi
… claims over 500 killed by mercenaries
By Luminous Jannamike
The lawmaker representing Ohaukwu North constituency in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Awo, on Wednesday, urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to investigate the mass destruction of lives and properties within Ezza-Effium community in the State.
Awo alleged that suspected mercenaries from Jukun, Bayelsa, Benin and Igbo-esaa had been hired to kill people of Ezza extraction in the community.
The lawmaker, in a petition addressed to IGP Adamu, in Abuja, and signed by his lawyer, Sampson Ekigbo, alleged that the suspected mercenaries on Tuesday killed hundreds of Effium people of Ezza extraction without any action taken to avert or arrest the perpetrators.
The petition read in part, “Over 500 hundred Effium indigenes of Ezza extraction have been killed and their properties worth billions of naira destroyed.
“For avoidance of doubt, in the present unexpected crisis, we the Ezzas have remained under attack by various combined groups, including: suspected mercenaries from Jukun, Bayelsa, Benin and Igbo-esaa.
“Without doubts, events clearly show that the Ezzas are under coordinated attacks in Effium by various interested parties with no exceptions as decipherable from the availability of various dangerous weapons, arms and ammunitions at their beck and call.
Awo, in the petition also made available to journalists, alleged that the mercenaries were being assisted by the Chairman of Ohaukwu local government area, Hon. Clement Odah.
The petition read in part, “It is our brief, sir; that Effium communal crisis between Ufiom people and Ezza people started on 22nd January 2021.
“The crisis has remained unabated due to various salient reasons, including estrangement, political marginalization, and denial of other social-cultural rights/entitlements against Ezza people largely because Hon. Clement Omekannaya Odah emerged the Executive Chairman of Ohaukwu council.
“Finally, it will serve a great purpose if you use your good office and cause the deployment of professional security agents to forestall further genocide against the good people of Effium of Ezza extraction.”
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Meanwhile, the Ebonyi state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, in an interview, assured that the LG chairman, Clement Odah and other accomplices would not escape punishment if found guilty because they were not above the law.
He 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.”
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