A “Militia group” known as the 12 Apostles has been accused of causing mayhem in Ukwagba Ngbo Autonomous Community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The group, which started its operations since November, 2023, has reportedly acted against the present administration’s policy on peaceful coexistence and unity among Communities in the State.
Recall that the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ebonyi State, Engr. Jude Okpor had in one of his press briefings x-rayed some of the measures put in place by the State Government to ensure peace, harmony and order in various Communities and the State at large.
The records of this group’s dastardly acts have brought palpable fear and uneasiness among members of the affected Community as over 50 persons have been allegedly affected by this ugly trend.
It was gathered that some of the members of the affected Community have gotten their properties destroyed, lives lost and monies allegedly extorted by this self-acclaimed Militia group, that is believed to have the backing of few powers that be in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Members of the Community have called on Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State and Security Agencies to assist them, in flushing out members of the Militia group as they are presently living in a precarious condition and fear of being victimised at any moment.
“We want our peace-loving Governor of Ebonyi State to quickly intervene in this matter as we are no longer safe. Our lives are being threatened everyday. Nobody can oppose them or even report them to the Police. We love our Governor.
We are in support of our Governor and want him to intervene on our behalf.”Narrating his ordeal, a member of the Community who pleaded anonymity stated that:
“Sometime last year, in 2023, the Town Union Executive of Ukwagba Ngbo Autonomous Community were dissolved by the Local Government Chairman.
Six months was given to them to conduct elections to man the affairs of the community. “At the expiration of the six months, on 3rd day of October, 2023, no election was conducted by the Awoke Godwin-led Committee.
They were reconstituted again by the Local Government Chairman for a period of 4 years. The entire Community protested but all their protests went into a deaf ears.
“From that period Awoke Godwin who is the Community Chairman established a militia group called the 12 Apostles or youths.”
The Town Union President also dissolved Augachi Development Union Executive and installed one Ikechukwu Eze as the village head. He did same to some of the villages in the Community.
In conjunction with Eze Ikechukwu. The Town Union Executive established this 12 Apostles Militia group whose activities are to commit terror and attacking people and sometimes holding them hostage until a ransom is paid.”
Also, an eye witness account revealed that: “On the 17th day of December, 2023, one Barr. Omeh Elijah was attacked by this group at his family house at Aguachi Ukwagba Ngbo; armed with AK 47 rifle as they beat up the lawyer mercilessly and dragged him half naked to the market square at night, collected the sum of N300,000.00 and was later released him after the family paid a ransom of N15,000.00 that night.
Still on the same period, one Ezekiel Egba and Michael Nwoji and Aguorie Ukwagba Ngbo were also brutally attacked by the same group.”Again Uga Chikwado was kidnapped by the same group and kept for a day until the sum of N90,000.00 was paid before he was released.
Again one Ogbuebili the Community youth leader then was brutally attacked at the eve of his wife’s burial, preventing him from witnessing the burial of his wife.
“On the 24th day of March, 2024 the Chairman of Ukwagba Community Vigilantee that was recognized by the Police by name Iwowo Ezekiel was also butchered by this group at Obomalegu Ukwagba Ngbo were their office is located.
“This time it was the Community Chairman, Awoke Godwin that went in company of this group and attacked him. Again one Peter Ugadu from Ndulo Ukwagba Ngbo was also attacked by Awoke Godwin and his Militia group and bundled him into the Town Union President’s car and dumped him at the Police Headquarters Abakaliki for no reason.
“When the Police called them for their statement, nobody even the Community Chairman showed up and the Police angrily released the victim without any terms as if this was not enough, the same group attacked one Ede Monday Obazi, a representative of Ukwagba Community.
The group were all armed with Ak 47 rifle and dangerous weapons, destroying everything in his house but with the intervention of God, he escaped death.
“It is interesting to know that because of the deadly nature of the suspects, their victims couldn’t even make any formal report to the Police since they have threatened that they will kill anybody that does anything on the contrary and that the same power-to-be in Ohaukwu is solidly behind them. Apart from one bar.
Omeh Elijah who wrote to the Commissioner of Police and the DSS , nobody has ever summoned courage to report.”Another Community member (names withheld) further explained that:
“Again on the 3rd day of August, 2024, Eze Ikechukwu, the village head of Aguachi Village issued a resolution that one Peter Omeh Eze (aka Omuma) should leave the village within the period of two weeks.
“It was on this premises, that Awoke Godwin, the Community Chairman and Eze Ikechukwu Aguachi Village Head sent out this Militia group to cause havoc in the Community.
“On 23rd day of August, 2024, the group was sent to go and bring the said Peter Omeh Eze (Omuma). They met the deceased in a shop at Nwuburu Aguachi village belonging to one “Sharp” on getting to the shop , the militia group informed the deceased that Awoke Godwin and Eze Ikechukwu wanted to see him.
The deceased enquired the reason and they replied him nothing. “According to the owner of the shop, Eze Nweze Oge (sharp) he the deceased started counseling them to desist from this type of activities that it doesn’t pay.
The deceased bought drinks for them after which they started dragging the deceased outside the shop, saying that he must go and answer the call from the Chairman.”As this was going on, the deceased handed over the N30,000 he was holding and his phone to the shop owner with the instruction that if they kill him, he should please give it to his son.
They dragged him outside and hit him on the skull and he fell down and blood started gushing out.
“The Militia group mentioned and the Aguachi Village head, Eze Ikechukwu used the motorcycle of one Emeka Nwa Thomas also known as Chukwuemeka Ominyi and carried the deceased to a hospital at Ndiagu Ode Okposhi Umuakpu Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.
On the 24th morning, the relation of the deceased through an enquiry visited the deceased at the hospital and told the Management that they want to go and prepare how to take him to a better hospital as he, the (decease) was still breathing very little, although still unconscious.”
On returning, the hospital Management told them that the people that brought in the victim at night have taken him away. From that day till date, the body have not been found.
A Petition to the Commissioner of Police was written on behalf of the deceased brother, Friday Eze by one Barr. L. O. Nwori from the law firm of A. Nwome, Esq. & co.
“The Petition was assigned to the Anti Cult Unit of the Police Headquarters. An arrest was made and one of the alleged killers by name Ede Egbe was arrested by the Police, including the father of Awoke Godwin who was later released the same day to bring all the suspects since he knows them.
“On the 6th day of September 2024, none of them appeared as ordered by the Commissioner of Police and upon an enquiry by the lawyer of the deceased ‘s relation, Barr. L. O. Nwori, he was told that the matter had been reassigned to Commissioner Police Monitoring Unit at Liberation Estate.
“The lawyer was not happy because the report at CPU unit was done by the same people that killed the deceased. The entire Community is in fear as this group is still brandishing the AK 47 rifle round the Community.
The Ngbo leaders Council Chairman, Dr. Oke .C. Oke is not helping matters as he was among the people who are allegedly shielding the group from being arrested.
“He was equally the one who took the said Awoke Godwin to the Local Government Chairman to install him as Community leader.
The Government of Ebonyi and their security agent should help us as our lives are in great danger.”
Contacted, the Community Chairman, Mr. Awoke Godwin and the Village Head, Ikechukwu Eze denied any involvement in the ugly development.
Various Petitions signed by A. Awome ESQ, L.O Nwori ESQ and C.C Nweke have been written to the Ebonyi State Police Command and the DSS on the matter as those affected have called for the arrest and prosecution of the suspects.