The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora, AESID, has asked Governor Dave Umahi to tackle the insecurity situation in the state, instead of the plot to arrest its President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu.
The Ebonyi indigenous group said it is in possession of an audio clip where the state government had asked the security operative to declare Mr Oluchchukwu wanted and arrest him over a published open letter in a national daily regarding the killings in Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement released to newsmen Thursday in Abuja, AESID said sane minds had expected the state government to rejoin the said open letter with its own facts or counter proves rather than descend so low to harass security agencies to declare the leader of the group wanted.
“As a governance and accountability platform, we in AESID believe that the interest of truth and justice would be best served by truths and nothing but the sincerity of purpose especially in managing the lingering Effium war and other communal unrests troubling the very soul of our dear state, not the resort to open or clandestine threats to the lives of Ebonyi citizens like our President wilful elected to not only ask questions and engage leaders in a democracy but even shoulder lots of the burden the government has elected to ignore.
“We urge the security agencies in Ebonyi state to please jettison the rather hasty and irrational reactions cum conclusions of the government but rather focus their strengths and energy in bringing all those causing these debilitating unrests in Effium and indeed, our dear state in general to book.
“We take this stand because we have known our President, Paschal Oluchukwu well enough and his track records are there for all to see.
“Ambassador Paschal is only deeply concerned just like the rest of ordinary Ebonyians that our once very peaceful Ebonyi has turned into a killing field while the government gallivants and prevaricates without seeking open-minded and credible solutions to these myriads of violence and insecurity in our land.”
While demanding for explanation within 24 hours on the allegation of bias in the lingering Effium carnages raised in the open letter, the group said such was necessary for the governor to clear his name and help in restoring peace in Effium and other parts of the state.
“Meantime, it is pertinent at this closing juncture to draw the attention of the Nigerian security apparatchik who was all duly copied the said Open letter to this latest threats and gimmicks of Governor Umahi to silence those calling for accountability in a democratic setting.
“The Nigerian government and the whole world should hold Umahi and his agents responsible, should any harm befall our dear capacity President, his family and or relatives including his businesses home and abroad, for we believe at all times that the primary purpose of government is the protection of lives and property of citizens,” the group added.
