January 26, (THEWILL) – The Ebonyi State government and the former lawmaker that represented Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo federal constituency have been enmeshed in words of war over insecurity in the state.
The state government on Tuesday after its security meeting had accused Hon. Linus Okorie, who served at the house of representatives from 2011 to 2019 publishing inciting statements on his Facebook page.
Briefing journalists after the state security Council meeting, commissioner for information, Barr. Uchenna Orji explained that the statement made by the former lawmaker, was inciting, especially as it affects the beheading of Ebubeagu security operative in Ikwo local government area.
He said: “Council considered a report presented to it by security agencies on the beheading of an Ebubeagu official in Ikwo local government area on 9th of January 2022.”
“The council noted the report on the issues and the revelation contained in that report and therefore resolved to declare wanted one Hon Linus Okorie for the publication of inciting statements, some of which were posted on Facebook that were traced to be part of the inflammatory publications that really invited that very tension that led to the beheading of the Ebubeagu official.”
The commissioner said that the council noted that some other persons were accessories to the gruesome murder of the individual.
He said the council urged security agencies to expedite action on the investigation with a view to bringing all those involved to face the law.
Heads of Security agencies in the state attended a security meeting which was chaired by Governor David Umahi.
Also, the state government condemned the brutal murder of alleged suspect by Ebubeagu security outfit in Akaeze community of Ivo local government area of the state.
The killing which was also video and sent to social media led to uprisings in the area.
THEWILL learnt that over 12 houses, vehicles including that of the council chairman, Hon Onyebuchi Ogbadu and his filling station were burnt by the angry youth.
Meanwhile, reacting to the declaration by the security Council, Hon. Linus Okorie has raised alarm that his life was in danger by the Ebubeagu security operatives in the state.
He said that it was another ploy by the state government to clamp down on his business and silent opposite parties in the state.
According to him, “despite all the inconsistencies of the so-called declaration by Uchenna Orji, I can only alert the world that my life is in extreme danger from Governor Umahi’s Ebubeagu operatives. Should anything happen to me going forward, all fingers must point back to Gov David Nweze Umahi.
“It is also a ploy to distract attention from the Carnage that Ebubeagu has been wrecking on the people of Ebonyi state as symbolised by the riots and killings in Akaeze in the past few days. Governor Umahi is simply looking for a high profile scapegoat to take attention away from the many lives being lost to Ebubeagu operatives across the state; and he has chosen me using his State Security Council.
“If, indeed, such a decision was arrived at by the Security Council, one would doubt that the police and other security agencies were represented at such a meeting. This is because it is the duty of the Nigerian Police to investigate crimes and invite all named suspects for interrogation and even when a suspect fails to honour an invitation, there is a clear procedure that must be followed before such a person can be declared wanted by the police and not any security council meeting.
“Let it be known that I have never been invited to answer to any allegations by the Nigerian Police or other security agencies anywhere in Nigeria.
“Without being invited by the police, I cannot lawfully be declared wanted by any authority for such an alleged crime by the police or any other authority under the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Again, going through the excerpts of the media briefing, I find no particulars of the allegation levelled against me to warrant the defamatory declaration by the said state security council”, he stated.
About the Author
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
