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Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the arrest of the State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha and a party Chieftain, Chief Eni Chima over communal unrest.
This is following a supremacy battle between supporters of Okoro-Emegha and Chima, the House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North/South federal constituency at Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo South LGA, on December 26.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) learnt that the supremacy battle led to the death of three persons and the destruction of property worth millions of naira including Okoro-Emegha’s house.
The order of arrest was contained in a statement signed by Umahi”s Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Mr Chooks Oko and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
Oko, in the statement, said that the govenor during an assessment tour of the area to determine the level of damages, expressed dismay at the unfortunate development.
The governor directed the state commissioner of police to arrest all those connected with the carnage and ensure they face justice.
The governor announced the suspension of all social gatherings in Edda until normalcy returns.
“He also urged the commissioner of police to deploy adequate security presence in the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order,” the statement read.
The governor’s aide remarked that the entire Ekoli-Edda has been cordoned by a combined team of the Police, Army and the Ebubeagu security outfit.
Recall that the fratricidal Ezillo/ Ezza-Ezillo communal crisis in the state was equally caused by two major political gladiators from the area.
Police confirm killings of 3 persons, destruction of Ebonyi APC chairman’s residence
Meanwhile, the Police Command in Ebonyi has confirmed the killing of three persons and burning of the residential building of Okoro-Emegha, the state APC Chairman.
The three persons killed are Kalu Egwu, a youth leader, Eme Orji, a younger brother of the State APC Chairman and an Inspector of Police attached to the Special Protection Unit (SPU).
SP Chris Anyanwu, Spokesman of the command told newsmen in Abakaliki on Tuesday, that the attack occurred on Monday evening at Ekoli Edda Community in Afikpo local Government Area of the state.
Anyanwu noted that the Police Command was presently investigating the murder case and malicious damages to Government and infividuals property in the area.
He explained that the incident resulted from apparent struggle for supremacy and who controlled the area politically among two notable political stalwarts in Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo South LGA of the State.
“At about 1630hrs of Dec 26, a day popularly known as “Boxing Day”, a distress call was received that sporadic shootings and killings were going on at Ekoli-Edda between Ebubeagu operatives who accompanied their boss, Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, the State’s APC Chairman.
“The open shoot-out was not far-fetched from previous grudges existing among the political factions.
“In the process, a youth leader identified as Kalu Egwu was fatally wounded, later rushed to a neighboring hospital at Ohafia, Abia State where he was confirmed dead.
“Angered by his death, the youth of the area mobilized and went on rampage, killing Eme Orji, a younger brother of the State APC Chairman and an Inspector of Police attached to SPU.
“The irate youth equally set ablaze the village house of Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, his Toyota Hilux van and a Toyota SIENNA space bus belonging to the Police Command’s Tactical Teams.
“When the Tactical Teams were despatched to Ekoli-Edda to take control of the situation, they were ambushed by the youth of the area at the village entrance. However, the operatives manouevred unhurt,” he stated.
Anyanwu said that the bodies of the three deceased persons have been evacuated and deposited at different morgues in the state.
“Two suspects were arrested among the irate youth while others are still at large.