Nzuko Umunna asks President Buhari to probe invasion of Ebonyi State Gov’s house

 

BY OUR EDITOR

Nzuko Umunna, the pan-Igbo think tank, has condemned the invasion of the Abuja residence of Governor Dave Umeahi, Chairman of South East Governors Forum (SEGF) and Ebonyi State Governor, by men identified as security operatives, last Monday.

Consequently, the group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order a full-scale enquiry into what it described as “curious invasion” by security operatives, with a view to ensuring that the perpetrators are speedily brought to justice.

“It is instructive that this cowardly act is coming barely 24 hours after the South East Governors Forum banned herders who move around with AK-47 and machetes, and directed security agencies to enforce the order,” the group observed in a statement issued today and signed by its co-ordinator Joe Odumuko and general secretary Obinna Mbanefo.

The statement further elucidated: “We note that the invaders were clearly identified as security operatives who subjected occupants of the premises and police officers on duty to intolerable harassment and intimidation before thoroughly ransacking the premises.

“It is noteworthy that this reckless and illegal act was carried out without a search warrant, again portraying Nigeria as a country that has little or no respect for the rule of law.

“The inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the modus operandi of the operatives is that they had a singular mission to plant incriminating evidence in the property towards framing trumped-up charges against Governor Umeahi.

“The sole purpose of this dastardly and hideous plot is to intimidate, overawe and silence Governor Umeahi and his colleagues at the South East Governors Forum and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the South East people.

The group said it was aware that there were plans to escalate this attack in the coming days and weeks to other South East Governors and key leaders from the South East zone.

It therefore warned perpetrators of this “heinous plot to desist forthwith to avoid throwing the country into a needless and overwhelming crisis.”

While urging the governors of the South East to remain resolute and unfazed, Nzuko Umunna said no amount of arm-twisting, trumped up charges or intimidation will make the South East zone shirk its resolve to ensure safety of lives and property in the zone.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we support in entirety the resolutions reached by the South East Governors Forum at its recent meeting, as these are consistent with the yearnings of the people of South East Zone.

“We commend the forum for the courageous resolutions and urge it to put practical measures in place to actualise them,” the statement concluded.