AESID urges FG to declare State of Emergency in Ebonyi over Effium Killings

The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora (AESID) has urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Ebonyi State immediately to put an end to the ongoing killings of defenceless people in Effium, a suburb in the state’s Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

According to AESID, another party of hired militia raided an Ezza-dominated village yesterday (Tuesday), shocking wearing fake military uniforms.

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‘About 500 natives of the once-sleepy and peaceful community have lost their lives, with properties worth many millions of naira destroyed in the man-made war allegedly provoked by the Korri natives of the community to wipe out Ezza indigenes,’ the Ebonyi group said.

According to a statement released by the association’s president, Amb Pascal Oluchukwu, and made available to Vanguard on Wednesday in Abuja, a few surviving eyewitnesses recounted from their various hideouts that hired militants stormed an Ezza enclave- Nwekendiagu village in Effium on Thursday last week, killing over 15 people and burning over 200 homes, including a fuel station.

‘It is particularly tragic to note that this attack occurred just a few hours after the state government, through its agents ostensibly meditating to restore peace in the region, had advised residents to gather at a specific location to receive a team of government officials on a peace mission. The residents mistook the masked attackers for soldiers on a peacekeeping mission, but were surprised when they opened fire on them, including women and children, killing dozens of unarmed and defenceless residents, many of whom were of Ezza descent’.

AESID is said to be outraged at the insensitivity of the Chief Security Officer, Engr David Umahi. He has refused to arrest and bring to justice anyone suspected.

In the light of the above, they demand that the Federal Government of Nigeria declare a State of Emergency in Ebonyi State and send professionally-trained team of soldiers of the armed forces to restore peace and order in the troubled region.

“Ezzas are not cowards, and they must not be provoked beyond these recorded cases; otherwise, they will not be held accountable if they take up arms to protect themselves against government-backed forces!”