Tension as Police Arrest APC Chairman, House of Reps Candidate, Others in Southeast State, Give Reason

• The police in Ebonyi state have arrested the state APC chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, and the APC rep candidate for Afikpo North/South, Eni Chima, alongside other suspects
• SP Chris Anyanwu, Ebonyi police command spokesman, linked the recent killings and arsons that took place in Ekoli Edda Community to the two APC chieftains who are rivals
• The police spokesman said the violence was caused by Okoro-Emegha's security aides and some youths loyal to Chima

Abakaliki, Ebonyi state - The Ebonyi police command has arrested the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in the state, Stanley Okoro-Emegha.

The police, according to The Punch, also arrested a former chairman of the Afikpo South LGA and Federal House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North/South Constituency in the 2023 general election, Eni Chima.

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Legit.ng gathers that the two were among the no fewer than 26 suspects the police arrested over the recent killings and arsons that took place in Ekoli Edda Community, in the Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.

Why the suspects were arrested, police speak

At a press conference on Monday, January 23, SP Chris Anyanwu, Ebonyi police command spokesman, said the suspects were responsible for the killings and arson that pervaded the area on Monday, December 26, 2022.

Legit.ng recalls that two persons including a Police Inspector, were reportedly killed, while two houses were torched down in the tragic incident.

Anyanwu said the suspects would be arraigned in court soonest.

According to him, 14 out of the entire suspects arrested will be arraigned immediately in court as a prima facie case of conspiracy, armed robbery, arson, unlawful possession of firearms and malicious damage has been established against them.

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The violence was attributed to the political rivalry between the Ebonyi APC chairman and Hon Chima.

According to the police, the security aides of the Ebonyi APC chairman and a faction of Ekoli-Edda youth believed to be loyalists of Chima were behind the violence that led to the killings.

“The visit of the APC chairman to his village on the fateful day, with his aides, infuriated the fragment of the youths in the area who are purportedly adherents of Eni Uduma Chima, hence the showdown that ensued.

“The war songs chanted by Egwu Famous Chinedu, the town crier, amidst hitting/blo*wing of his gong/trumpet, respectively, galvanised the youth into further action, hence, the rampage and escalation of the brouhaha," Anyanwu said.

Police commend Umahi's prompt intervention

Speaking further, the police spokesman said Governor David Umahi's prompt intervention "as the father and Chief Security Officer of the state, went a long way to abate the hostilities."

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He said the governor, without minding whose ox is gored, ordered that the two political stalwarts who are members of his party be arrested and detained.

Anyanwu said the Ebonyi state governor also visited the area more than three times and eventually constituted a Board of Enquiry and Reconciliation headed by distinguished Senator Sunny Ogbuoji in a bid to restore peace.

“It is crystal clear that the supremacy tussle raging between Hon Stanley Okoro Emegha and Hon Eni Uduma Chima is the cause of the ill-fated December 26th conflict at Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo-South of Ebonyi state," the police spokesman reiterated.

Caterer lands in trouble for serving ‘poor quality’ food at Xmas party as Governor Umahi orders police arrest

In another report, Governor Umahi stirred reactions online as he ordered the arrest of the caterer who allegedly served poor-quality food during the Christmas party for widows and the aged in the state.

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The governor on Thursday, December 15, 2022, said it was terrible for someone to give others what he or she could not consume.

Though he did not disclose the name of the caterer, Umahi said the police would follow due process in investigating the cook for her to refund the funds given to her to prepare the food.

Source: Legit.ng