Ebonyi governor, Umahi arming cultists, thugs against political opponents – Lawmakers alledges

Ebonyi State lawmakers caucus have accused Governor David Umahi of arming cultists and thugs against perceived political opponents in the state.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chairman of the caucus, Senator Sam Egwu who was flanked by other lawmakers from the two chambers of the National Assembly said there was a spike in insecurity in the state as a result of the governor’s weaponisation of bad elements.

The lawmakers alleged that the boys were being armed in the guise of the recently established local vigilante group, ‘Ebube agu’, but are obviously holding the political opponents to ransom.

Senator Egwu further argued that the caucus who are of the Peoples Democratic Party are being terrorised because they earlier declined joining the governor during his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

They raised an alarm alleging that attacks on security agents have been on the rise, claiming that they have evidence of the distribution of ‘pump-action and AK47″ rifles.

He said: “As lawmakers and responsible citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we are alarmed and concerned by the senseless killing of security personnel in the lawful discharge of their duties.

“This situation has been further compounded in Ebonyi State by the wide-scale distribution of pump-action and AK-47 rifles and ammunition to young men throughout the 13 Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State by the State Government under the guise of vigilante/Ebubeagu.

“As it stands today in Ebonyi State, it is impossible to draw a line between the criminal activities of agents of the State Government, and that of other groups.

“Today, Ebonyi State is awash with weapons supplied and distributed by the State Government, to undocumented persons, nor trained in weapons handling ostensibly for use against perceived political opponents.

“It is important to state here that Governor Nweze Umahi’s resort to arming thugs and Cultists across Ebonyi State is his response to the refusal of major political stakeholders in the State who rejected and refused to decamp with him from the PDP to the APC.

“For this reason, Governor Umahi has decided to procure and distribute arms and ammunition to thugs, cultists and some of his appointees under the guise of vigilante/Ebube-agu to intimidate and stifle the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State.

“It is for this reason that Ebonyi State has become the first and only state in the South-East to inaugurate and arm the so-called Ebube-Agu.

They revealed that the Inspector General of Police has been written with evidence of how known cultists and thugs have been armed.

Lawmakers decried the attempted murder of a popular lawmaker a few days after he granted a media interview on the ugly developments in Ebonyi State.

“The latest of these heinous crimes is the attempted murder of one Barrister Amos Ogbonnaya, a former coordinator of a Development centre in Ebonyi State.

“The said Barrister Amos on the 4‘ of May 2021 had appeared on an AIT live programme (JIGSAW) and spoke on the corruption and poor governance activities of the Ebonyi State Government.

“On the 13°” of May 2021, Barrister Amos was kidnapped in his village, Okposi, by a gang led by the Personal Assistant to the Governor named Chinonso Obasi aka “consider” in broad daylight, and operating in a State Government-owned white Hilux vehicle.

“By the sheer act of providence, Barr. Amos was not buried in a shallow grave which had already been dug, but remains incapacitated and at risk of losing both of his legs in a private hospital at Enugu.”