In a bid to stem the violence that recently engulfed some parts of Agbaja Community in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Governor David Umahi has given a shoot- at-sight order to security agents against anyone found in possession of illegal arms.
The Governor gave the order on Wednesday during an assessment tour of the villages affected by violence in the state.
Umahi, who commiserated with the affected families, expressed disappointment with the political and community leaders in the area for their inability to nip the violence from the onset.
He described it as most worrisome that brothers within the same community should rise against themselves to the extent of taking lives, stressing that the violence was beyond mere politics.
He ordered for a comprehensive documentation of the destroyed houses, assuring that government would assist to rehabilitate those whose houses were destroyed.
Umahi had earlier boosted security presence in the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
He directed that the Commissioner of Police should withdraw police escort attached to unauthorised persons, adding that any security personnel escorting politicians who bring arms to the communities was doing so at his own perils.
Umahi said: “What I want to beg you is for peace to reign.
“It is not APC versus PDP; it is more than that.
“I have asked the Commissioner of Police to come for peace mediation.
“I have also set a Committee headed by Reverend Father Abraham Nwali together with the Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council and others.
“The reason we set up the committee is because you are brothers and sisters.
“I don’t know the level of enmity or acrimony that would lead to killing of somebody and burning of people’s houses, brothers for that matter.
“If this is Izii against another local government or other State, I could have known what to say, but in this case, I am short of words.
“We will increase the security presence but I want to ask the youths to organize themselves to protect the defenceless women and children.
“Honestly, anybody who bears arms illegally is not worthy to live because such person does not bear the arm in vain.
“He wants to kill defenceless people.
“I have said to the vigilante group and the community people, if you see anyone holding guns to kill our people, break the person’s hands and legs, tie the person with the gun and send him alive to the Police.
“What is happening here is totally unacceptable and I have asked the Police, whether it is APC or PDP, it does not matter to me.
“I am accountable for the life of every Ebonyian and I am accountable to God.
“So I am going to ask the security people to be ruthless and I have discussed with the CP that anybody who is not entitled to Police escort must not be allowed to go with Police.
“I will make a broadcast that any policeman escorting any politician carrying arms is doing that at his own risk.
“By killing yourselves, you are making yourselves laughing stock and I will blame your leaders and I have no apologies for that.
“If the big men’s houses were being destroyed, these nonsense could have stopped.
“Everybody, especially the defenceless ones, should be on the part of peace.
“I thank God that the CP is a no nonsense man.
“And I am asking them publicly: anybody fomenting trouble, even if the person is my greatest supporter, arrest the person and put the person out of circulation so that we can preserve the lives of these our mothers and children.
“But my order is for security agencies to shoot at sight anybody found possessing weapons illegally.
“My second order is that security agents cannot be everywhere at the same time.
“Youths should organize themselves to protect the women and children and to give information to the Police, the army or DSS immediately any danger is sensed.”
The Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, who accompanied the Governor on the visit, explained that the hoodlums were mainly people involved in anti-party activities.
Nwifuru, an indigene of the community, appealed to the people to remain calm as Government has waded into the matter.
He however encouraged them never to feel intimidated from going to cast their votes during Saturday’s elections, adding that adequate arrangement has been put in place for their total safety.
A victim, Nwamini Eji from Mkpuma Akpatakpa village, whose son, Moses Nwamimi, was shot dead in the crises, narrated that he was not involved in any political struggle with anybody and wondered why his son should be killed.
Eji called on Government to help unravel the remote cause of the incident and give justice to his family.
Others victims visited by the Governor, including Ekuma Nwite of Izenyi village, whose three buildings were burnt down, lamented their losses, alleging that majority of the buildings destroyed in the crises belonged to supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Umahi, during the visit, donated undisclosed amounts of money to the victims to enable them feed their families, while Government intensifies further arrangements towards rehabilitating them.
Recall that some parts of Agbaja Comumity in Izzi Local Government Area of the State was recently involved in violent attacks and reprisals, leading to some deaths and burning of over 30 buildings.
Although normalcy had returned to the area following heavy presence of the Police and the Army, most of the community people were still apprehensive of possible resurgence of the crises, especially as Saturday’s elections draw nearer.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
