Several supporters of the Labour Party, LP in Ebonyi state were injured on Saturday during an attack by gunmen at a rally held in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government area of the state.
The gunmen are suspected to be operatives of the state chapter of the Southeast Security Outfit known as Ebubeagu.
According to LP House of Assembly candidate for Ohaozara East Constituency, David Ogbonna, the attackers were led to the rally by the Chairman of Ohaozara LGA, Consider Ajah, Vanguard reports.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr. Ogbonna said, “Yesterday (Saturday), as party faithful gathered at our (Labour Party) office at Mgbom-Okposi, waiting for the arrival of the Labour Party Candidate for Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo federal constituency – Nkemkanma Kama, the men of Ebubeagu Security Network led by Ohaozara Local Government Chairman invaded the venue.
“As they entered the venue, our campaign office, our supporters on the road waiting for our arrival erroneously thought we were the ones possibly because of the exotic car of the Local Government Chairman.
“They rushed to warmly welcome ‘us’ only to meet young men numbering over 40 wielding all kinds of automatic guns who came down from the fully loaded Toyota Hiace Bus and Sienna buses and opened fire on Innocent people. They shot at the people and chased both men and women at the venue, making efforts to apprehend as many as they could.”
Labour Party logo, Image: The Guardian Nigeria
“As of this morning of 13th November 2022 (Sunday), three of our supporters from Uburu who came with the Labour Party Candidate of Ohaozara West are yet to reach home and their phones have not been reached. We are yet to establish contact with the Personal Assistant, PA, of the Labour Party Candidate for Ohaozara East Constituency. His phone has not been reached since he ran away from the event venue yesterday (Saturday).
“Two of our supporters from Ugwulangwu are yet to reach home and their phones are not reachable. Six women supporters from Ugwulangwu and one of our women leaders from Okposi who ran for their lives yesterday ( Saturday) in the process lost their handbags containing phones and other valuables including cash.
“One of the women supporters from Okposi who was pursued, fell head-down on her way to safety and has remained unconscious. However, the Doctor confirmed she’s still alive.”
Mr. Ogbonna also claimed that " all canopies, tables, and chairs at the venue were badly damaged. The music box (Speakers) of the DJ was shot at by the Ebubeagu, damaging them near-irreparably and even confiscating some of his equipment. The drums of the Cultural Women dancers from Afikpo were destroyed and some were seized.
“The drum boxes of the drummers who were on the road waiting for us were destroyed and drummers beat mercilessly. As of yesterday night, three supporters from Ugwulangwu reported that operatives of Ebubeagu visited their compounds asking after them. As we write now, they have relocated out of the community for fear of their lives.”
The gathering got no official approval—LG boss
However, Mr. Consider Ajah, the Chairman of the Local Government Area said he did not lead any attack on the Labour Party supporters.
But, he admitted that Ebubeagu operatives visited the area to stop the gathering from disrupting the free movement of people in the area. “We did not attack anybody. They were blocking the road which is a federal highway and we had to intervene to prevent them from disrupting people’s movement. We have a law that before you hold any form of gathering you must get approval from the local government for security purposes. But they did not do that. We have no interest in what any other party is doing but they should do the right thing at all times,” Mr. Ajah said.
Ebubeagu operatives, Image: Vanguard
They may have been attacked by their members- Ebubeagu
The Commander of Ebubeagu, Nnanna Friday, in turn, pointed accusing fingers at members of the Labour Party denying that operatives of the outfit carried out the attack stating “We did not attack anybody. They should stop mentioning Ebubeagu every time they have problems among themselves. They may have been attacked by their fellow members who they may have had a disagreement with and they now turned around and blamed it on Ebubeagu. They did the same thing recently in Izzi and we later discovered that they were attacked by their members.”
On inquiry, the spokesperson for Ebonyi state Police command, Chris Anyanwu told Vanguard that the Command was unaware of the development.
Attack on Abia Onyike is an act of dictatorship- COSEYL
In a related development, the Coalition of South-East Youths Leaders, COSEYL has condemned the arrest and torture of Chief Abia Onyike, a top PDP chieftain in Ebonyi state by operatives of Ebubeagu Security Outfit.
According to Vanguard, Onyike, the former Information Commissioner of the state and Deputy National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists was kidnapped at Octavia Pharmacy, water works road Abakaliki on Wednesday night.
He was reportedly taken to Ebubeagu Office in Abakaliki, where he was beaten with wood until a call came for his release.
Narrating his ordeal to journalists in the Ebonyi state capital, Abakaliki, Chief Onyike said that his abductors threatened to bury him alive.
“I went to buy medicine at the popular Octavia Pharmacy at about 8.25 pm. After buying the drugs, I saw two armed Ebubeagu men enter the Pharmacy. They came straight to me. One of them dragged me into their vehicle (a red Toyota Sienna). They fired gunshots into the air to scare people.
Abia Onyike
“They drove me to the old Government House and subjected me to torture. I was canned and beaten with wood. They threatened to bury me alive while one of them threatened to shoot at my leg. After about one hour of intensive torture, their commander told me to stand up and wear my dress. He said it was a case of mistaken identity. They returned some of my items seized by them such as my car key, phone, drugs, and ATM card. I was then told to go,” Chief Onyike said.
Mr. Friday Nnanna, the Commander of Ebubeagu in the state while confirming the incident said it was a mistake.
But in a statement on Thursday, signed by COSEYL President-General, the youths group condemned the attack as barbaric and called for the arrest of those involved.
The statement read in part, “The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex socio-political youth group in the South East geopolitical zone condemns in strongest terms the criminal abduction and torture of a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain and former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi State Chief Abia Onyike by Ebubeagu security outfit in Ebonyi State on the night of 9th November 2022. This is a pure act of dictatorship and tyranny by the All Progressive Congress, APC, led administration of Governor Dave Umahi.
“It is quite unfortunate that Chief Onyike who is the Deputy National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ and a former Commissioner of Information in the State will be criminally arrested, naked, and tortured by the state government militia Ebubeagu under the pretense that where he was arrested is a spot where a known criminal comes to collect arms.
“Such tales by moonlight do not hold water. Chief Onyike was criminally arrested and tortured because he is a member of the opposition party in the state.
“It is very unfortunate that under a democratic setting, the Governor of Ebonyi State Engr. Dave Umahi will use his militia Ebubeagu operatives, paid and equipped with taxpayers' money to oppress and brutalize the same taxpayers. This is unacceptable.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of those Ebubeagu operatives used in this unlawful and unconstitutional conduct.”
Politics and Opinion
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