Ebonyi govt confirms attack on APGA guber candidate, denies Ebubeagu involvement

Ebonyi State government on Friday confirmed the attack on the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Prof Benard Odoh by suspected hoodlums but denied the involvement of Ebubeagu Operatives in the attack.

The state government disclosed this, through the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji and the State Consultant on Security, Stanley Okoro Emegha while briefing newsmen at the old government house in Abakaliki.

Emegha at the briefing dissociated Ebubeagu operatives from the alleged attack on the APGA gubernatorial candidate, Odoh.

He said, “The formation of Ebubeagu, translated from the neighbourhood watch to Ebubeagu and government is paying heavily on its complimentary role to the security agencies. They have limits as continued in the law that established it. There are certain levels at which (Ebubeagu) will alert the police.

“You asked whether the attack happened, yes it happened and we are all aware of it. Five days ago, something happened at the border of Ebonyi/Enugu states, in which the lives of soldiers and of policemen were involved. We did not accuse APGA, PDP or other political parties as masterminds.

“If it has happened to an APC person, we wouldn’t accuse anybody but it happened to APGA. We need to come together and talk about, which area we can contribute to secure our society. Instead, we issue blame to one another to gain cheap political relevance.

“We need to know that, we are all Ebonyians and every position is tenured. Hoodlums have shifted from attacking police to Ebubeagu, they are killing Ebubeagu Operatives. Do you know how many Ebubeagu people, we have written to the governor to assist in their burials?

“Ebubeagu Operatives are being slaughtered like anything. And, we can’t accuse PDP or APGA but it is happening. Even when some of them are having a hand in those things.

“We can’t lose hope and we shall continue to talk as a government because it is the sole responsibility of the government to provide adequate security of lives and property for the citizens of the state” he stated.

Responding, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji, debunked the claims by APGA state leadership that Ebubeagu has a hand in the alleged attack on Prof. Odoh and his teaming supporters.

DAILY POST reports that five (5) persons were still missing following the attack while other supporters who sustained serious injuries were still receiving treatment at the federal medical centre, Abakaliki.