Ebonyi State government in its response to the recent video that went viral which captured the torture of a pastor from Amasiri community, in Afikpo North Local Government Area, of Ebonyi State by Isi Oru Age Grade, of the community, has set up a 5-man committee to investigate the matter.
The 30 year- old cleric, Okochi Obeni was accused of publishing a slanderous write up on his Facebook wall against elders of the community as well as the local government chairman, Hon. Oko Enyim, and instead of allowing the law to take its course, the community chose to punish him according to their custom.
The cleric was to receive 50 strokes of cane and other disgracing punishments, but for his elder brother who bought 14 strokes with N9, 500 he was then given 36 strokes of cane.
His hands were tied behind him, he was humiliated and thrown into the gutter before help could come from his brother who was captured in the video telling the community to pardon his younger brother.
According to the community, 50 strokes of cane is given to anyone that goes contrary to the rules and regulations governing the community.
They claimed that the Facebook post was not only slanderous but capable of jeopardizing existing peace in the area.
However, Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, on Friday ordered his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, to set up a 5-man committee to investigate the torture of Obeni.
The committee is to ascertain whether the incident really happened and even if it’s their traditional method of handling such things, why videoing and uploading such act on the Internet.
“I have directed that a committee of 5-man should investigate the human right abuses in Afikpo North. This is very important because even if there are traditional methods of settling issues, while you are doing it and if it is working for you, why are you videoing it and uploading it in the social method.
“We also want to know whether it happened because some people can also frame it to destroy the system. So a committee is going to work on it to find out what actually happened” he noted.
On his part, Secretary to the state government, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala reaffirmed the governor’s decision to investigate the incident.
He said that the committee was given two weeks to operate and get back to the state government.
Ugbala while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the Friday exco meeting, said the committee has been charged to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the incident and act of human rights violation.
Adding: “Exco directed the Deputy Governor to set up a 5-man committee to investigate the alleged human right violation at Amasiri in Afikpo North local government area with a view to unravelling the remote and the immediate causes and act of human right violation recently reported from that local government.
“The committee is given two weeks to carry that assignment to guide the state government in taking action against that because we are concerned about the concern and rights of our people not to be violated.
Meanwhile, Ebonyi command’s spokesperson, DSPLoveth Odah, has confirmed that the leader of the Isi Oru Age Grade, Mr. Amadi Julius Nyerere is now in their custody.
She said the suspect turned himself in on Friday after he was alleged declared abducted on Thursday.
He was first arrested last Thursday alongside nine other suspects for torturing Obeni.
According to DSP Odah, Nyerere turned himself in because he was afraid that police were looking for him.
