Umahi orders arrest of APC chair, rep member over communal clash

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the arrest of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman,  Stanley Okoro-Emegha, and a party chieftain, Eni Chima, over a communal unrest.

There was a supremacy battle between supporters of Messrs Okoro-Emegha and Chima, the House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North/South federal constituency at Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo South LGA, on December 26.

The battle led to the death of three persons and destruction of property worth millions of naira including Okoro-Emegha’s house.

The arrest order was contained in a statement by Governor Umahi’s Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Chooks Oko, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.

Oko, in the statement, said the govenor during an assessment tour of the area to determine the level of damages, expressed dismay at the unfortunate development.

The governor directed the commissioner of police to arrest those connected with the carnage and ensure they face justice. He also suspended all social gatherings in Edda until normalcy returns.

“He also urged the commissioner of police to deploy adequate security presence in the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order,” the statement said.

The governor’s aide said the entire Ekoli-Edda had been cordoned off by a combined team of the police, army and the Ebubeagu security outfit.

Recall that the fatricidal Ezillo/Ezza-Ezillo communal crisis in the state was equally caused by two major political gladiators from the area.