Ebonyi State Governor Umahi
IPOB sit-at-home order: 3 feared killed in Ebonyi, as PDP blames Gov Umahi for culpability
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Three persons were feared killed on Monday at the boundary between Onicha and Ohoazara local government areas of Ebonyi State.
However, a source told Oracle Today that the victims were travellers killed by hoodlums believed to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) enforcing the sit-at-home at home order in the area.
The source further disclosed that the bus in which the victims were travelling, was also set ablaze by the hoodlums.
Reacting to the development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state accused Governor David Umahi of not being alive to his duties as Governor.
The party wondered why the state’s chief executive could have asked residents to defy the IPOB order when he did not provide adequate security to them.
PDP said the Governor was not even in the state but was issuing orders he was not on ground to ensure its enforcement.
A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Barrister Silas Onu, chided the Governor for asking residents of the state to ignore the sit-at-home order by IPOB, when he knew he was not ready to provide adequate security for them.
PDP’s statement reads, “Today, reports have it that 3 people have been shot dead by yet to be identified gunmen in the boundary between Ohaozara and Onicha LGA.
“These killings could have been avoided if the Governor had not assured law abiding citizens that adequate security will be provided to protect them as they disobey the sit at home order. It is irresponsible to assure people of safety and then not be present to ensure that safety.
“Instead of being in Ebonyi at such a time, especially, after issuing threats against those who planned to obey the sit at home order and promising security for law abiding citizens, the Governor preferred to be out of the State thus leaving the people vulnerable because of lack of leadership in ensuring that people move freely.
“The Governor ought to be present and lead the entire State in the direction that he preferred by ensuring that, just like him, others are able to move freely in the State today.
“We condemn this irresponsible act which emboldened some law abiding citizens to disobey the IPOB and paid the supreme price due to lack of leadership to protect them as guaranteed by the Governor.
“It is advised that leaders should rather remain silent in such situations, if they have no contingency plans for the protection of law abiding citizens by leading the disregard for such sit at home orders. Rather than speak to please certain sentiments and thereby endangering the lives of citizens needlessly.
“We call on IPOB to also realize that killing innocent citizens for whatever reason is not a solution to the many challenges our nation is presently faced with. We plead that dialogue is a better path to attaining whatever goal is intended.”
Efforts to reach the State Police Command failed as calls to the mobile phone line of the Police Commissioner Garba Aliyu were not picked nor returned as of the time of this report.
