Effium Killings: AESID Condemns Attack on Ezza Refugees’ Camp
- The recent killings in Ebonyi state have been condemned by the Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora
- The group also blamed the reoccurrence of violence in the southeast state on the Ebonyi chief executive, Dave Umahi
- The association had earlier warned Nigerians not to vote for Umahi, who is a presidential aspirant under the APC
FCT, Abuja - The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) has expressed sadness over the recent attack on a community harbouring some victims of the massacre in Effium community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.
According to media reports, the recent bloodletting left many dead bodies on their trail, as the community was yet to recover from the unfortunate incident.
Source: Facebook
In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Tuesday, April 12, AESID president, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, urged Governor Dave Umahi-led's government to bring the perpetrators of the latest killings to justice.
The diaspora group also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the remanded Catholic Priest by security agencies within 48 hours.
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Oluchukwu said:
''We sadly recall that the crisis in Effium, which started in January 2021 and between Effium and Ezza-Effium has claimed many lives and led to many Ezza-Effium people taking refuge in Ohaogelode community and other locations in the State.
"Although the police was yet to make an official statement detailing an account of the unfortunate incident, we however reminisce that, a video of the said incident circulating online showed that at least two persons were killed and some houses razed.
"In the said video, a victim was burnt to death while a building was still on fire while another dead victim, a pregnant woman, could be seen in the video with machete cut wounds all over her body."
AESID, however, challenged the Umahi-led government in the state to tell the world the rationale behind the release of 31 remanded Uffiom youths arrested with various guns and other weapons some months ago.
He said:
"AESID continues to maintain that so long as the Umahi administration is not keen in answering and addressing some of these questions posed regarding the ongoing carnage in Effium, it cannot be exonerated by reasonable Ebonyians from having a hand in the crisis.
"Yet, the same Umahi government has continued to detain a Catholic priest, Rev. Timothy Ngwu for merely extending his corporal works of mercy to his stranded Parishioners in the troubled area.
"It is the wisdom of this apolitical, non-profit organization to immediately demand the re-arrest and full-scale, unbiased trial of all those who have a hand in the killings and particularly the release of the 31 Uffiom suspects."
2023: AESID rejects Governor Dave Umahi's presidential ambition
Recall that AESID recently dismissed the decision of Governor Umahi to declare his interest in the 2023 presidential race.
The group in a statement said it received with mixed feelings the news that Umahi has joined the 2023 presidential race, saying the governor should give stewardship of his seven years in the state.
While totally rejecting the Ebonyi governor’s presidential ambition, the group said Nigeria won’t survive a week under Umahi as president
Source: Legit.ng
