The Ebonyi State government has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Abubakar Adamu, over the invasion of Govornor David Umahi’s Abuja residence by suspected police officers.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Cletus Ofoke, told newsmen, yesterday that the state Executive Council (EXCO) condemns the invasion of the governor’s house on September 2, as an act of cowardice, especially as it came 24 hours after the South-East Governors Forum, which Umahi headed ,had banned herders from moving around with AK 47 guns and machetes in the zone.
“We urge President Buhari to order a full scale investigation into this dastardly act to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book, and we also urge the I-G and other security agencies to immediately commence investigation into the act and come up with a position guaranteeing the governor’s safety in Abuja and any part of the world,”Ofoke said.
The attorney general also alerted the international community of attempts to circumvent the rule of law and freedom of expression in Nigeria as exemplified in the attack on governor Umahi’s house. He said the Ebonyi state government holds the view that the perpetrators had the singular mission of planting incriminating evidences in the property with a view to bringing up thrump-up charges against the governor.
“The aim is to intimidate the governor and his colleagues in the Forum and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the south-east, especially on security in the zone,’ said Ofoke.