The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the State Stanley Okoro-Emegha, alongside 25 others over the recent killings and arsons that took place in Ekoli Edda Community, in the Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to The PUNCH, a former chairman of the Afikpo South LGA and Federal House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North/South Constituency in the 2023 general election, Eni Chima, was also arrested.
This was disclosed by the Ebonyi State Police Command, during a press conference, in Abakaliki on Monday.
The police stated they (the suspects) were responsible for the deaths and arson that swept over the neighborhood on December 26, 2022.
Two people were reported killed in the incident, including a Police Inspector, while two residences were set on fire.
The command, through its spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu, accused the suspects of the heinous deeds and promised to arraign them in court as soon as possible.
Aside from murder, the suspects were charged with arson, conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of guns.
According to the police, the accused must face the wrath of the law, despite the advice of the state’s Commission of Inquiry, which was established by Governor David Umahi.
SP Anyanwu said, “The key actors among the suspects arrested, volunteered useful ‘confessional statements’ that exposed the aggregate of overwhelming findings hereunder outlined:
“The fracas that engulfed Ekoli-Edda on 26/12/2022 ignited at about 1600 hours during a face-off between the security aides of Hon Stanley Okoro Emegha versus a faction of Ekoli-Edda youth believed to be loyalists of Hon Eni Uduma Chima.
“The protracted political rivalry/supremacy struggle between the duo, is the cause of the showdown that took place. Interestingly, the two political stalwarts hail from same community, belong to same political party and even live in close proximity.
“The visit of the APC chairman to his village on the fateful day, with his aides, infuriated the fragment of the youths in the area who are purportedly adherents of Eni Uduma Chima, hence the showdown that ensued.
“The war songs chanted by Egwu Famous Chinedu, the town crier, amidst hitting/blowing of his gong/trumpet, respectively, galvanised the youth into further action, hence, the rampage and escalation of the brouhaha.”
He added, “The investigation further revealed that an attempt to arrest one Aruah said to be the leader of the Ekoli-Edda youth warriors, brought in the warriors who were reserved for the purpose of fighting in the boundary dispute between them and a neighbouring community in Cross River State. The said warriors wielded sophisticated prohibited firearms and their actions further degenerated the situation.
“The prompt intervention of His Excellency, Dave Nweze Umahi, as the father and Chief Security Officer of the state, went a long way to abate the hostilities.
“Without minding whose ox is gored, the governor ordered that the two political stalwarts be arrested and detained, even as the duo are key members of his political party. He further enhanced and facilitated the arrest of the perpetrators cum recovery of arms/ammunition.
“Also in his quest to restore peace in Edda Clan, the governor visited the area more than three times and eventually constituted a Board of Enquiry and Reconciliation headed by distinguished Senator Sunny Ogbuoji.
“It is crystal clear that the supremacy tussle raging between Hon Stanley Okoro Emegha and Hon Eni Uduma Chima is the cause of the ill-fated December 26th conflict at Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo-South of Ebonyi State.
“Fourteen out of the entire suspects arrested (some still at large) will be arraigned immediately in court as prima facie case of conspiracy, armed robbery, arson, unlawful possession of firearms and malicious damage have been established against them.”
