Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State has said that he worked with Security agencies to prevent bloodletting in the state.
In a statement made available to 9News Nigeria by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Francis Nwaze said the report by SaharaReporters that no fewer than one thousand, one hundred and fifty residents were killed in the South-East region by the security agents and herdsmen between October 2020 and December 2021 is not true.
He noted that Governor Umahi at no point aided nor abetted the killings of innocent citizens of Ebonyi State and Ndigbo, rather, Governor Umahi in collaboration with other Leaders of South East worked tirelessly to ensure Security Agencies did not avenge the killing of their colleagues in the course of agitations in the region.
The statement reads,
“Our attention has been drawn to a malicious rambling published by Sahara Reporters, credited to an acclaimed civic group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law in which the group claimed that no fewer than one thousand, one hundred and fifty residents were killed in the South-East region by the security agents and herdsmen between October 2020 and December 2021.”
“The same group identified Ebonyi State as one of the States in the South East where herdsmen and Security Agencies killed citizens within the period under review.”
“Most worrisome, the group also stated that among others, Governor David Umahi is ‘complicit’ in the killings of innocent citizens in Ebonyi State and southeast Zone.”
“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered responding to this lies-infested concoction but we have elected to make a few clarifications to save discerning minds from being misled by the agents of mischief.”
“First, apart from the Ishielu unfortunate attack which was alleged to be a reprisal for an occurrence of years ago, there were no other incidences of herdsmen attack leading to death in Ebonyi State within the period under reference.”
“Second, there were also no incidences of killings of innocent citizens orchestrated by Security Agencies anywhere in Ebonyi State within the same time lag.”
“Third, Governor Umahi at no point aided nor abetted the killings of innocent citizens of Ebonyi State and Ndigbo, rather, Governor Umahi in collaboration with other Leaders of South East worked tirelessly to ensure Security Agencies did not avenge the killing of their colleagues in the course of agitations in the region.”
” It is, therefore, unclear how Sahara Reporters reputed for professional reporting chose to meddle into frivolities rather than crosschecking their facts.”
” While we urge Sahara Reporters to urgently do a rejoinder distancing itself from this jaundiced concoction, we enjoin the general public to disregard the hoax which is an attempt by the disgruntled opposition to score cheap political points targetted at denting the towering political reputation of Governor Umahi and sow a seed of discord between the Governor and Ndigbo as well as Nigerians in general.”
