Gov. Umahi Under Fire Over alleged Threat to kill Journalists
*As Nigerians call for Investigations into looting….
By Chinwe Onwosi
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state, is receiving heavy castigations by Nigerians after a journalist, with peoples Gazzett shared an audio clip online where the caller was heard threatening to kill him over his news report exposing that Umahi allegedly diverted billions from Ebonyi State treasury to his private business.
The Voice investigations reveals that this is not the first time the governor will be mentioned in this light as we gathered that various petitions have been written to the Nigerian Police and the DSS against him by different persons alleging threat to life
Nigerians who expressed shock over the alarm raise by the journalist called on Federal authorities to ensure their safety and investigate the alleged threats and looting of the Ebonyi State Treasury by Gov. Umahi and further persecute him.
Recall that this is coming after The Gazette Newspaper had in an exclusive report exposed how Gov. Umahi had transferred over N3 billion to his private firm from Ebonyi Treasury.
The Gazette’s reporters came under severe security pressure from Gov. Umahi’s aides shortly after the story was published, with requests for the report to be retracted or deleted entirely from their website and servers.
Afterwards, on Saturday, January 30, an audio clip of a phone call conversation between the journalist and an unknown man who was heard threatening to kill the Gazette’s reporters surfaced online
The caller was heard saying “You’ve just done harm to the image of Ebonyi State, and I can assure you that if you don’t retract it, we might fall out with you,”
“It’s not in terms of going to sue you, we know how to do it,” he threatened.
Continuing “This thing can cost people’s lives, this particular thing you did can cost people’s lives, and I know what I’m saying. I’m close to you. I can see you. Quote me anywhere.”
“You just have to retract it because this is a serious image laundering you have done to Ebonyi State and you cannot just go like that. You just have to retract that information you published about the governor before things go bad.”
“He (Umahi) has been in money before he became the governor. I’m not talking as though or because I’m an appointee, but if you come to Ebonyi State and see the unprecedented development going on in the state, you won’t be able to publish that (Gazette’s report),” he asserted.
Following this, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, in a tweet said: “Ebonyi State’s @DaveUmahi has chosen to take his domestic exploits in political violence and decapitation to the national stage. His latest targets are reporters working @GazetteNGR. Will SSS, @PoliceNG and @Nigeriagov notice? This is dreadful!”
Another Nigerian @ojstan in a tweet said: “Dear @PoliceNG_CRU you have some work to do here, the phone number is there on the display, you can track it like you tracked #Endsars protesters before we lose another journalist.”
