…As Dr. Ezeh Points Fingers at Two Ebonyi Federal Lawmakers
By Emeka Igwe, Abuja
Authorities of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit at the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Force Headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force, Abuja, have interrogated a Special Adviser to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Youth Mobilization, Sunday Ogbonna (popularly known as Bakassi), and a former Senior Special Assistant on Internal Security, Felix Okemini (popularly known as Jango), over a petition filed against them by Dr. Emmanuel Ezeh, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 House of Representatives election for Ebonyi/Izzi Federal Constituency.
An invitation letter earlier sent to the accused and signed by Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, stated: “The office is investigating a case of threat to life, criminal intimidation, cyberstalking, and cyberbullying in which your attention is needed.”
The duo belong to a self-styled group known as the “@FON Attack Dogs” — widely believed to be loyalists of Governor Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru and reportedly composed largely of individuals from his Izhi clan.
There have been persistent allegations that members of the group have repeatedly been accused in the media of engaging in cult-related and violent activities in the state.
One such incident, which recently drew widespread condemnation from members of the public in Ebonyi and beyond, was the issuing of threats on Facebook against one of Ebonyi’s most prominent entrepreneurs, Dr. Emmanuel Ezeh.
The threats reportedly followed Dr. Ezeh’s refusal to accept what many described as an ill-timed and ill-intentioned government appointment.
In a public statement that went viral on social and mainstream media, the group allegedly declared Dr. Ezeh “persona non grata,” sparking outrage and condemnation across the state.
In several Facebook posts, both Okemini and Ogbonna vowed to attack Dr. Ezeh and his country home if he maintained his principled stand on governance issues in the state.
This latest move by security agencies has fueled speculation that authorities may be intensifying efforts to dismantle criminal networks and hold their enablers accountable, particularly in the South East region of Nigeria.
Dr. Ezeh, who has faced repeated threats, has consistently maintained that the group operates under the encouragement of higher political powers.
Investigations suggest that two serving House of Representatives members in the state may be among the hidden enablers, allegedly leveraging their influence to shield the self-acclaimed “attack dogs” from facing the full wrath of the law.
The unfolding investigation marks a significant moment in the fight against criminality in Ebonyi State and the broader South East, raising hopes that entrenched networks of violence and intimidation, especially those hiding under the cover of “government in power,” may finally be confronted.
Confirming the developments, Dr. Ezeh, in a telephone interview, alleged that his opponent in the 2023 contest, Hon. Emmanuel Uguru (representing Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency), and his Ezza South/Ikwo counterpart, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, are behind hurried attempts to free the suspects from facing the consequences of their actions.
He said he was touched after reflecting on his relationship with Hon. Ogah and penned him an emotive private memo, reminding him of their past relationship and how he stood by him to ensure his stolen mandate in 2019 was recovered.
Details of the memo, shared with our correspondent, read:
“After Brotherhood, Remember the Friendship We Shared
Comrade,
I have always wondered what wrong I committed against you. I vividly recall how I stood by you during your days in the wilderness — how I made financial contributions, prayed with you, and worked alongside Dr. Pat as we planned and exchanged ideas while fighting for your nearly stolen mandate in 2019.
Today, each time I am marked for destruction, I am surprised to see your influence. I see your hands. You told me to my face how you frustrated my election for Emma Uguru. But have you not done enough already to a brother who stood for you when it mattered most? If the man who stole my election seeks to come after me, it must not be you again.
Yes, today I am marked; tomorrow, who knows who else will be. I am reminded of the interaction between Okonkwo and his friend Obierika in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart:
“The boy calls you father,” Obierika said quietly, his voice heavy with concern. “He trusts you. He looks up to you. He sees you not just as a warrior or a clansman, but as the man who has raised him, guided him, and given him a place in this world. To him, you are more than a protector. You are his father in every way that matters.”
“Do not put your hands in his death, Okonkwo. Let not your spear be the one that ends the life of a child who has called you father. Let not your name be the one he cries out in his final breath. There is no honour in that. There is only sorrow.”
This moment reflects Obierika’s role as a voice of reason and conscience. He urged Okonkwo to consider the human cost of blind obedience to tradition, especially when it conflicts with personal bonds and moral responsibility.
I say the same to you: I am your friend and brother. Let not your hands be seen in my destruction. Let not history record that you turned against one who stood with you when it mattered most.
With respect and sincerity,
Dr. Ezeh”
He promised that despite the bail granted to the duo in accordance with the law, which he supported, they must face the consequences of their actions.
Reacting, a native of Ikwo LGA, Monday Mbam, lamented the hypocrisy of Hon. Ogah, whom he accused of indiscriminately arresting and detaining people from his Ikwo community for criticizing his leadership and representation of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency.
“How can Chinedu Ogah be a double-edged sword in this cybercrime era? He has arrested not less than five youths for criticizing him and called it cyberbullying. How can he now stand for bail for those arrested or invited by police to answer to a petition by another politician for the same — if not even worse — offense or allegation?” he queried.
Efforts to reach the accused suspects were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
