EBONYI
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) campaign council in Ebonyi State has condemned the alleged attack on its supporters in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of the State.
APGA equally cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as the Afikpo North Local Government Area council chairman, Mr. Uchenna Ibiam, against “stoking tension” and threats on Governor David Umahi’s Senatorial race opponent, Sir Ifeanyi Eleje, a Senatorial candidate of the party.
The director of Media and publicity of the Odohzia Ebonyi campaign council, Mr. Charles Otu, said findings have shown that the state government has allegedly concluded plans to abduct, torture, and remand APGA supporters in Police custody and throw some into the Correctional facilities.
“Some other influential stakeholders supporting the Party we also learned have already been penciled down for maiming, which will land them in the hospitals till after the election.
“To make good their threats and plots which we had earlier gotten hints of, the Ebubeagu Security operatives working under the Chairman of the Local Government Area, Mr. Uchenna Ibiam were detailed to abduct, torture, and ransack the residences of our Senatorial candidate’s supporters.
“They will then be coerced into making confessions that they were sent by the Party’s leaders to destroy and deface APC campaign billboards in the area,” it stated
He further disclosed that the men of the Ebubeagu security outfit have allegedly invaded the residence of one Amobi Ujah, an APGA supporter, and abducted him.
“His friend and another APGA supporter, one Chijioke was lucky to escape, while the victim was consequently taken to the council area where he was severely tortured, forced to confess in a video and name the Director General of the Ifeanyi Eleje Campaign council, Mr. Iheukwumere Okogwu among others as sponsors behind the destruction of APC billboards in the area.
” After the Council Chairman, Ibiam, personally recorded him (as he could be heard in the background of the video) having serious injuries inflicted on him by the Ebubeagu boys, they later handed him over to the State’s Police Command.
“Consequently, the Ebubeagu officials invaded the residence of the said Mr. Okogwu at Ukpa village in Afikpo North in the early hours of today, stealing a motorcycle and other valuable property in the compound, claiming to be hunting for him.
“Since then, Okogwu has not been seen and neither is his whereabouts known to the public. Already, we were informed that there’s heavy tension in his Ukpa village over the invasion of his residence and the gunshots that were heard in the area.
“Sources also alleged that the said Ujah was coerced to mention the name of our Party’s Senatorial candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Eleje among others as being behind the allegations of billboards destruction all in their desperate bid to give a dog a bad name to hang it.
“Another very authoritative source disclosed that upon receiving the briefing of the Afikpo North council Chairman, Governor David Umahi who doubles as the APC Senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South allegedly instructed the Ebubeagu team to arrest, humiliate, torture, maim and terrorize members and prominent supporters of our Party- the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA wherever they may be seen.
“The source further claimed the Ebubeagu militia were allegedly detailed to attack our Senatorial candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Eleje, and inflict on him injuries of monumental proportion that will make him remain hospitalized till after the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections.
He said the APGA in the State would continue to conduct themselves peacefully ahead of the forthcoming general elections and enjoined their supporters to maintain calmness while calling on the state Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Garba to release the detained Amobi Ujah, and investigate the petitions of APGA in the Area.
The statement further appealed to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Baba Usman to order the investigation of alleged wanton killings and unprovoked attacks on Umahi’s political opponents in the State, as well as appealed to Afikpo leaders to call the council chairman to order to avert further breakdown of law and order.