The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) has condemned the kidnap of the former Coordinator of Anuagata Development Centre, Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Barr Amos Ogbonnaya, by some political thugs.
The victim was said to have been abducted at gunpoint after he was bombarded with series of threatening text messages and phone calls by some politicians in the state shortly “after he made some revealing expose’ on the systemic corruption that has become the modus of the third tier administration by the state government.”
In a statement released to newsmen Tuesday in Abuja by the AESID President, Amb. Paschal Oluchukwu, the group urged the Inspector-General of Police to immediately constitute a special crack team to investigate and bring the perpetrators to book.
“The occasion, we recall was a discussion programme on the African Independent Television, AIT penultimate week wherein Ogbonnaya had carefully reeled out how the Governor and his surrogates using the State’s Joint Account Committee, JAC siphon hundreds of millions of Federal Government’s monthly Local Government allocations while handing the administrators peanuts to run their offices.
“In outrightly condemning this ugly incident which we now consider as one attack on Ebonyians too many buoyed by the simple fact of the intolerant disposition of the government to criticisms and opposing views, we ask both the Governor and the CP who has shown obvious negligence in arresting the suspects should step aside.
“AESID urges the Inspector General of Police to immediately constitute a special crack team to investigate and bring these evil perpetrators to book.
“All that have been fingered in this terrible incident must therefore be brought to book without further delay no matter how highly placed they may be.”
While cautioning the state government against further attack on opposition leaders, the group described the development as an open invitation to anarchy.
Reacting to the recent crisis in the Effium community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, the accountability group said the claims by the state government that peace had returned to the war-ravaged area were untrue.
“We urge Nigerians and the world to disregard and discountenance the claims of the Governor because killings are still going on in the area even as we speak.
“For we strongly believe that the blood of those innocent and defenceless citizens will yet cry for justice on the head of all those who have a hand in the Effium carnage.
“Conclusively, we pray for the total return of peace in every troubled part of the state,” the group added.
