By Ogbonnaya Okoro
A Group, Ebonyi Resonance, has strongly condemned what it described as the weak intervention of Ebonyi State government in the brewing communal crisis between the people of Ezza-Effium and Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The group in a press statement released to Newsmen in Abakaliki which was signed by its National Chairman, Evangelist Justus Nkamah and the National Secretary, Mr. Bethran Ojukwu,
said the kid-glove approach the government has deployed in handling the matter is not only worrisome, but suspicious.
The group noted that the continual stay in office by the Ohaukwu Local Government Council Chairman, Barr. Clement Odah was an indication that Governor David Umahi was not bothered in anyway, by the on-going massive killings of Ebonyi people as a result of the crisis.
Ebonyi Resonance however wondered why Governor Umahi who had publicly accused Odah and Awo of being the masterminds of the crisis would still allow them to be moving about and enjoying the paraphernalia of their offices while the lives of innocent people are being wasted in Effium Community, as a result of their inactions.
"We have observed with dismay the lingering communal crisis between Ezza-Effium and Effium people which has unfortunately led to the death of hundreds of people and destruction of property worth millions of naira.
"While we frown at the development, we wish to strongly condemn the weak intervention of Ebonyi State government under the leadership of Governor David Umahi in the matter.
"The kid-glove approach the government has deployed in handling the matter is not only worrisome, but suspicious.
"How could a government that has the primary responsibility of securing the lives of her citizens watch them being slaughtered without doing nothing?
"We recall that when Governor Umahi visited Effium Community at the wake of the crisis, he vowed to arrest and prosecute anybody found to have a hand in the crisis.
"Regrettably, the same Governor Umahi who openly and pointedly accused the Ohaukwu Council Chairman, Barrister Clement Odah and the member representing Ohaukwu North Constituency, Hon. Chinedu Awo of being the masterminds of the carnage, rather than arresting and prosecuting them, now dines and wines with them, while innocent lives are being wasted by warlords in Effium community", the statement reads in part.
In the same vein, the Ebonyi Resonance in the statement particularly accused Mr. Clement Odah of using the Ohaukwu Council fund to promote and sponsor the killings of innocent people in the same Ohaukwu and called on Governor Umahi to prove that he was not an interested party in the matter by rearresting Odah for prosecution.
"If Governor Umahi truly wants to prove that he is not an interested party in the crisis as being alleged in some quarters, he should fulfill his promise of officially reporting Clement Odah and Chinedu Awo to the State House of Assembly for necessary actions.
"Two of them need to be suspended immediately or removed from their respective political offices and be made to face trial for their involvement in the bloody crisis.
"This is even more so, because information at our disposal shows that Mr. Odah has been using the Ohaukwu Council fund to finance the killings and destruction of property currently going-on in the area.
"We wish to use this medium to call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to as a matter of urgency, beam its searchlight on Ohaukwu Council treasury", the statement further reads in part.
According to the Ebonyi Resonance's statement, "why would Ebonyi State government raise the alarm at the attempted destruction of Ibeto facility recently, but keeps quiet in the face of the wanton killings and destruction of property going-on everyday in the area? Is Ibeto facility in Effium more precious to Umahi's government than the lives of innocent Ebonyians being killed everyday by warlords in Effium Community?".
The Group further called on Ebonyi State government to investigate the alleged involvement of Ibeto and his Company in the crisis, over the alleged interest of the Company in the limestone deposit in the area.
Reacting to the allegations, the State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barrister Uchenna Orji, said the allegation was baseless and unworthy of the state government's reply.
However, efforts to reach Messrs Clement Odah and Hon Chinedu Awo to react to the allegations were not successful. END//
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