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Grace Egbo – Abakaliki
Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Ebonyi State, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to order the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police CP Faleye Olaleye to restore the security details attached to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) gubernatorial candidate Prof Benard Odoh, that was withdrawn.
The CSO’s and CUPP disclosed this in Abakaliki during a joint press conference few days after the withdrawal of all the police officers attach to the APGA guber candidate.
The CSOs and CUPP leaders, Oko Sampson Nweke of Human Right Defenders, Chinedum Enekwachi of Coalition of United Political Parties and Monday Eze of Ebonyi First Vanguard, the action of the Police against Prof. Odoh, is an abuse of human rights noting that the court has already restrained the Police from arresting, harassing or detaining the APGA gubernatorial candidate.
The however condemned the withdrawal describing it as a deliberate attempt to expose Prof. odoh to the risk of being killed by his attackers who have attempted to assassinate him about seven times since last year.
They also noted with dismay the rising cases of killings, abductions, intimidations, harassments and flagrant suppression of the rights of Ebonyi citizens those in opposition political Parties.
According to them, Ebonyi state was one of the few states of the federation that has witnessed the highest cases of serial abuses of human rights, authoritarian dictatorship and downright disregard for human dignity perpetrated in virtually most cases by the government in power.
They said “among several others, most recent cases in point are: “the recent gruesome murder of HRH Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in his Umuezeokoha palace by unknown assailants;
“The ongoing persecution of Professor Benard Odoh, the APGA gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections by the State government. The harassment and intimidation of Mark Onu (a.k.a Chopper) who recently resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the governor and defected to the PDP.
“The abduction the youth leader of PDP in Nkomoro ward Ezza North LGA, Mr. Nwokpoku Sunday on the 7th March 2023.. The attack on Dr Sunday Adol Awam, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State”.
They condemned the murder of HRH Ezeogo Igboke Ewa and charge the Police and other relevant security agencies to explore all avenues for proper and diligent investigation so as to bring his killers to book.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to without delay order the State’s Commissioner of Police to restore the Policemen attached to Professor Odoh and ensure that it’s men and officers act within the ambit of the law so as not to inflame the already tensed political atmosphere in our dear Ebonyi State.
“Similarly, we have realized that ‘unknown’ soldiers have strangely taken over major roads in Onueke, Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State and other opponents strongholds and they have been reports of serious harassments and intimidations of citizens using the roads in the buildup to the now postponed Governorship and State’s Houses of Assembly elections.
“We request the Chief of Army Staff to immediately investigate the identities and activities of these ‘unknown’ officers who appear to be working for the interest of the ruling APC in Ebonyi State against the opposition and possibly withdraw, arrest or dismiss them. The attempt to militarize Ebonyi in this period of election stands highly condemned by us”. ENDS
CSOs and CUPP leaders, Oko Sampson Nweke of Human Right Defenders, Chinedum Enekwachi of Coalition of United Political Parties and Monday Eze of Ebonyi First Vanguard, noted with dismay the rising cases of killings, abductions, intimidations, harassments and flagrant suppression of the rights of Ebonyi citizens especially those in opposition political Parties.
They said “among several others, most recent cases in point are: “the recent gruesome murder of HRH Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in his Umuezeokoha palace by unknown assailants;
“The ongoing persecution of Professor Benard Odoh, the APGA gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections by the State government. The harassment and intimidation of Mark Onu (a.k.a Chopper) who recently resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the governor and defected to the PDP.
“The abduction the youth leader of PDP in Nkomoro ward Ezza North LGA, Mr. Nwokpoku Sunday on the 7th March 2023.. The attack on Dr Sunday Adol Awam, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State”.
They condemned the murder of HRH Ezeogo Igboke Ewa and charge the Police and other relevant security agencies to explore all avenues for proper and diligent investigation so as to bring his killers to book.
They wondered why the State Commissioner of Police, Faleye Olaleye and authorities of the Nigerian Police Force cannot obey a Court order restraining it from arresting, harassing or detaining the APGA Governorship candidate, Professor Benard Odoh despite evidences of service on them and condemned the withdrawal of his security detail, describing it as a deliberate attempt to expose him to the risk of being killed by his attackers who have attempted to assassinate him about seven times since last year.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to without delay order the State’s Commissioner of Police to restore the Policemen attached to Professor Odoh and ensure that it’s men and officers act within the ambit of the law so as not to inflame the already tensed political atmosphere in our dear Ebonyi State.
“Similarly, we have realized that ‘unknown’ soldiers have strangely taken over major roads in Onueke, Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State and other opponents strongholds and they have been reports of serious harassments and intimidations of citizens using the roads in the buildup to the now postponed Governorship and State’s Houses of Assembly elections.
“We request the Chief of Army Staff to immediately investigate the identities and activities of these ‘unknown’ officers who appear to be working for the interest of the ruling APC in Ebonyi State against the opposition and possibly withdraw, arrest or dismiss them. The attempt to militarize Ebonyi in this period of election stands highly condemned by us”.
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