…directs Army, Police to take over two communities
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has openly acknowledged the existence of moles in his government but insisted that his administration had nothing to hide.
Umahi’s position is contained in a social media comment posted on Sunday.
He was reacting to a post by a WhatsApp group participant accusing the former Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Bernard Odoh, of “unholy alliance with a particular incumbent governor of a South-Eastern state”.
Umahi, who reiterated his earlier warning that government appointees should not castigate another governor or other officials, urged his critics to visit the Ebonyi government’s information website for information they needed.
“Those who want to betray me will end up fighting the wind as there is nothing to betray except, maybe, a display of ingratitude to God.
“Those who sit on the fence in defending their government will definitely receive the same reward whenever they need defence from government.
“Anyone who supports him (Odoh) or his betrayal will also get betrayed especially at a time of his or her greatest need,” Umahi said.
Umahi, while challenging the moles in his government to send his post to whoever they cared, described the said governor as his friend “even before now”.
“Whenever someone becomes a governor, he is no more the property of anyone else other than God and the people,” he said.
He enjoined his supporters to leave the said governor or the ruling party at the federal level out of any accusation, insisting that Odo was not in the mentioned state’s government house as alleged by the WhatsApp group participant.
The Ebonyi government had been having a running battle with the former SSG over the disbursement of the small and medium-scale agricultural fund in 2016.
State government officials and Odoh’s supporters have resorted to the social media to air their views and, in most cases, cast aspersions on one another over the panel of inquiry set up by the government to investigate the disbursement.
They have also traded accusations over the petition written by Odo to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging the anti-graft body to investigate the disbursements.
Also, the governor has directed the Nigerian Army and Police to take over Isinkwo-Ukawu and Abaomege communities of Onicha Local Government Area of the state and immediately restore law and order in both communities.
The directive which is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Uchenna Orji, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, on Sunday stated that the governor is saddened by developments in both communities.
The statement said that the governor expressed dismay over the activities of the youth in both communities who resorted to taking ‘laws into their hands’ and inflicting injuries on the people because of land.
“The state government has henceforth taken over the disputed land effective from June 6, 2020, in line with the laws of the state.
“The governor has directed the state Commissioner for Lands and Survey to immediately acquire the disputed land for the government, an overriding public interest,” the statement read.
The statement added that Umahi further warned both communities to ‘pull out’ completely from the disputed land.
“All concerned are to take this matter seriously,” the statement read.
However, similar violence had erupted in Izzi recently where over seven houses were burnt at Amuzu village in Igbeagu community of Izzi Local Government Area, over a village headship tussle.
The crisis resulted in the arrest of no fewer than eight persons by the police including the traditional ruler.
