Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The last is yet to be heard of the killings in Ekoli Edda community of Ebonyi State as the community yesterday petitioned President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter by halting the cycle of killing in the community which has claimed over 30 lives.
The community also called for the arrest of the former Chairman of Edda Local Government Area, Uduma Chima, over his alleged role in the killings in the community during his 15-year reign which spanned the administration of former Governor Dave Umahi.
But in his reaction, Chima denied the allegations, saying they were politically motivated.
He said he remained “the most loved politician in the area.”
Chima was a member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, a transitional and three-term chairman of the local council.
The community had last year petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IG) and the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) over the persistent killings in the local council which left a trail of blood and destruction.
A philanthropist, Chief Julius Oji, had last year petitioned the IG over the killing of over 30 people in Ebonyi community.
Three indigenes of Ekoli Edda community and a police inspector were also killed on December 26, 2022, during an attack on the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Mr. Stanley Emegha.
The petition alleged that he recently led troops of the Nigerian army to recover a cache of arms which the gang surrendered.
The petition titled: ‘Gun running, terrorism and bloodshed in Ekoli Edda: An Unwholesome Act being Perpetrated by Mr Eni Uduma Chima, the former chairman of Edda Local Government Area and His Accomplices, the Morekanbedone Killer Squad’, written by the law firm of Ogban, Ebenezer and Co on behalf of the community, also called on the Nigerian army to mop up the remaining cache of arms from the gang, some of whose members remain in the forest and are allegedly operating as a cell of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).
It said the weapons surrendered by the gang include AK 47 rifles, rocket launchers, dynamites and hand grenades among others.
The petitioners accused him of gun-running, bloodbath, the use of a killer squad to unleash terror on them as well as decimating their time-honoured traditional institution, alleging that Chima arrogated to himself the sole right and prerogative of determining who heads all organs of local administration in the community.
They informed the president that the accused persons have not only caused much bloodshed in Edda but have continued to terrorise and make life unbearable for our clients and the good people of Ekoli Edda.
The petitioners said: “Ekoli Edda has been under siege and bondage since 2007 when one Chima took over the reins of power following his election and ascension as a member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
“This gave him the impetus to assume control of the community. As part of his game plan to subdue the community perpetually, he decimated the traditional institution and arrogated to himself the sole right and prerogative of determining who heads all organs of local administration in the community. It is in this regard that he also installed one, Elder Oji Ufiem Okoro as the traditional ruler of Ekoli Edda and used him negatively to make life unbearable for the people of the community.
“He also unilaterally planted, albeit, illegally successive leadership of the Town Development Union and other local institutions.”
The petitioners alleged that “It is on account of this dire prevailing atmosphere of insecurities in Edda clan that our clients have specifically instructed us to most passionately appeal to you, Mr. President, to use your good offices to cause the relevant security agencies to sustain their activities in communities in Edda, particularly by flushing out the said criminals at their hideouts at Aliugbogho Farm Settlement and the mop-up operation of the arms and ammunition, now in the hands of the notorious gang.”
Meanwhile, in his reaction, Chima denied the allegations, saying they were politically motivated.
He said he remained “the most loved politician in the area. They paint a false picture.
I am the most loved politician in Edda. I came in and displaced many of them, the elite. We came and changed the narrative and displaced the elite.
“The allegations are false. It is politically motivated. They recycle pictures when it’s time for politics and appointment.”
On the conflict between Edda and neighbouring communities in Cross River State, he said the Edda community surrendered arms.
“They start circulating gory pictures. We are cooperating with the army, surrendering arms. The other warring communities have not done so. We are doing so because we want peace,” he said.
