Following the killing of three police officers and a lecturer with the Alex Ekwueme University by unknown assailants, 570 soldiers have been deployed to parts of Ebonyi state to maintain peace and order.
On Friday, unknown gunmen attacked the Onueke police station in Ezza South Local Government Area of the State, killing three police officers and leaving many critically injured.
The hoodlums also freed suspects detained at the station, prompting panic within the state command of a coordinated attack.
On Sunday, Mr Kyrian Nwoke of the department of physiology of Alex Ekwueme University was murdered by unknown gunmen when he went to pick a passenger for his commercial driving business.
But speaking after a Special Security Council meeting of South-East Governors’ Forum at Uburu, in the Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state, Governor David Umahi said the rising spate of insecurity in the state was politically motivated, and meant to discredit him.
He added that the situation will be handled with caution.
According to him: “Whether PDP, APC, or APGA, anybody that is causing problem must be arrested, dealt with and prosecuted.”
Speaking on the reported expulsion of Fulani herdsmen from the state, Umahi said that Ebonyi people have been leaving in peace with the Fulanis for a long time.
He stressed that any act intended to cause disaffection between both parties was aimed at discrediting him and the people of Ebonyi State.
“We have an agreement with the Fulani herdsmen for peaceful coexistence. The issue of IPOB and Fulani herdsmen is very sensitive; it will ignite crisis for the whole of this country if not properly handled.
“There is an orchestrated plan to portray Ebonyi and the governor in a negative light. I don’t know why the searchlight is turned on me. What is going on is beyond politics.
“We had meeting with founding fathers of the state; Dr. Sam Egwu, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. There should be ceasefire. Government officials should not attack dignitaries in the state. I have accepted the decision of the founding fathers,” Umahi said.
On the killings in Onueke, he said: “the Onueke killings was so unfortunate and so terrible, but I will not divulge the measures we have taken but they are more security agencies that have been posted to Ebonyi, like in the south here, we are looking at about 270 soldiers in what is called super camp. I think about 120 of the soldiers have arrived, we are having close to 300 women soldiers in Abakaliki, I think about 150 arrived and being deployed.
“We are going to deploy other measures to tackle security situation, the difference is going to be very clear and you will see what happens in the weeks ahead. I was told by the CP that he has been redeployed to the headquarters. So, we are expecting a new CP in the state. Everybody comes with his or her own arrangement, so, let’s hope that the new CP coming is going to inject his ingenuity towards solving our problem”.
