Security Agencies should Arrest, Prosecute Abductors of Amos Ogbonnaya – G64 Ebonyi Ex-Coordinators
Former Coordinators of Development Centres in Ebonyi state who served in the first tenure of Governor David Umahi’s administration have called on the security agencies to arrest and prosecute those named in the abduction and attempted murder of their colleague, Barrister Amos Ogbonnaya.
The Former Coordinators of the 64 Development Centres under the aegis of G64 in a press release by the Chairman, Hon Ukpai Williams Okechukwu; the Secretary, Chief Agu Chigozie Agu and others, which was issued to Journalists on Sunday at Salt Lake hotels, Abakaliki, alleged that Mr Ogbonnaya, the Legal Adviser of the forum, was abducted by agents of Ebonyi State Government led by one Chinonso Obasi.
The Forum further alleged that Ogbonnaya was tortured, dehumanized and abandoned in a pool of his blood, half dead, with all the bones in his legs ruptured, by his abductors.
Mr Ogbonnaya, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was abducted a week ago while retuning from Federal Government College Okposi where he attended a PTA meeting. He was later released by his abductors the following day, badly tortured.
Governor David Umahi had in a press statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Francis Nwaze, penultimate Sunday, strongly condemned Ogbonnaya’s abduction, describing it as a dastardly act, and unhealthy in a democracy.
Umahi further directed the security agencies to ensure a full scale investigation in the matter.
But G64 while addressing Journalists on Sunday insisted that the security agencies should not look far in searching for the perpetrators of Mr Ogbonnaya’s abduction, as they were known agents of Ebonyi State Government.
The Forum further alleged that Ebube-Agu security outfit set up by the State government was a militia outfit meant to go after perceived political opponents and those exposing fraudulent practices of government in the State.
“We equally want the whole world to know that the so called Ebube-Agu is operating under no known law in Ebonyi state and has been directed to go after and kill the members of 64, former Coordinators Forum.
“Security agencies should hold Governor Umahi responsible should any harm befall any of our members, our families, relations, and our well-wishers as we have it on a good record the the Governor has directed his ill-fated and illegally constituted militia outfit, called Ebube-Agu to maim, crush and kill our members”, the Forum alleged.
However, the State government through the Commissioner for Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mr Stanley Okoro Emegha, said the State branch of Ebube-Agu South-East security outfit, was backed by law, and was not operating illegally, as being insinuated.
Emegha said the State House of Assembly had enacted a law to back the operation of the security outfit.
“The house of Assembly has done that (referring to the law backing the operation of Ebube-Agu);the governor announced it yesterday. I also have a copy of the law,” he said.
He maintained that the security outfit had come to stay, and was not after political opponents, as being alleged.
