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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Amnesty International, and the Department of Security Services (DSS), have been asked to find those fueling the crisis between Ufiom and Ezza communities in Ebonyi State.
A petition dated March 31 and signed by the Counsel to Ezza community, Sampson Ekigbo, accused Ohaukwu Local Government Chairman, Clement Odah, of being biased in the matter which has so far claimed over 10 lives.
Ekigbo called on the federal government to put an ‘eye on the Ebonyi State Government and their security agencies involved in resolving this crisis and ensure that they are dispassionate and indiscriminatory, and take decisive actions to restore peace and normalcy in the troubled community.
‘Fortunately, the state government had noted that the Ufiom people were the first to arm and kill an Ezza man, and also were the first to violate the peace agreement undertaken by both parties.
‘We demand total overhaul of all security agencies involved in peace keeping in Effium in order to reduce, if not eliminate, unprofessional conduct which have irrefutably aided and abetted the massacre, arson, looting, in the beleaguered community.
‘Full investigation of the activities of some of the security agents in the Effium crisis especially Messrs Sunday Oboh and Chukuma, Elom of Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command.
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‘Arrest and full investigation of Ohaukwu Local Government Chairman, Hon Clement Odah, and his kinsmen to wit: Nicodemus Omenka, Frank Onwe, Vincent, Egbe, and Dr Benjamin Egbe, among others and the illegal deployment of both local and hired men from other parts of the country with our common patrimony from Ohaukwu LG Treasury to exterminate Effium indigenes of Ezza extractions.
‘The issue of Mr Chukwuma Elom and Sunday Oboh came on the heels of a similar unprofessional conduct and compromise by personnel of Messrs Sunday Oboh and Chukuma, Elom of Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command misconducts, they were withdrawn from Effium but only Friday Akpan was transferred Imo State.
‘We still demand their full investigations and possible persecution for the genocidal mass murder of scores of Ezza people.
‘Hon Clement Odah should be tried for genocide for obvious reasons that he employed both human and financial which planned and executed the killing of Ezza people in Effium.
‘Full, fair and effectual resolution of the situations (immediate and remote) that led to the unwarranted and unexpected communal crisis, especially the rights of the two major tribes, Ezza and Ufiom, both of which are migrants to the present Effium community, and their settlement recognised by the British Colonial government.
‘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.’
The Ebonyi State Police Commissioner, Aliyu Garba, when contacted for comment via telephone, said the matter was under investigation, adding that ‘nobody is above the law.’
