No fewer than 26 suspects have been arrested over recent killings and arson that occurred in Ekoli Edda Community, in Afikpo South Council of Ebonyi State.
Among those arrested were the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Stanley Okoro-Emegha, and a former Chairman of Afikpo South Council and Federal House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North/South Constituency in the 2023 general election, Eni Chima.
The police claimed the suspects were responsible for the killings and arson that occurred on December 26, 2022 in the area.In the incident, two persons, including a police inspector, were killed, while two houses were torched.
The Ebonyi State Police Command stated this, yesterday, in Abakaliki, during a press conference. The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu, accused the suspects of being behind the killing, vowing to arraign them in court soonest.
Aside from murder, the Command also accused them of arson, conspiracy, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.
According to him, the suspects must face the wrath of the law, despite recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor David Umahi. SP Anyanwu said: “The key actors among the suspects arrested, volunteered useful ‘confessional statements’ that exposed the aggregate of overwhelming findings hereunder outlined:
“The fracas that engulfed Ekoli-Edda on December 26, 2022, started at about 16:00 hours during a face-off between security aides of Stanley Emegha and a faction of Ekoli-Edda youth, believed to be loyalists of Eni Uduma Chima.
IN a similar development, some unidentified assailants have invaded Mgbuka-Amanzu Road, by Pillar Bread Junction, on Obibuenyi Street, Okpoko, in Ogbaru Council of Anambra State, killing two persons in the process.
The reason for the attack were yet to be ascertained; but it was gathered that the incident happened on Sunday. An eyewitness, who identified herself as Mama Chinedu, said the gunmen, numbering about four and riding in a tricycle, double-crossed the unidentified man going to church, shot and dispossessed him of his belongings and fled.
She said the assailants fired shots into the air before leaving the scene in a commando-like manner, but unfortunately for them, the bullet hit one of them and he died instantly.
When contacted, the state Police Spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, saying the police recovered the lifeless body of a yet-to-be identified young man.
Source: The Guardian
