From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, has nullified the banishment of the former chairman of Edda Local Government Area, Dr. Eni Uduma Chima and his younger brother, Uduma Chima by the town union of the community.
The governor said the action of the town union against the two brothers was contrary to the principles of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The community, known for its volatility because of series of crises arising from power tussle by political gladiators in the area, has been witnessing killings, maiming and destruction of properties worth millions of naira for the past two months.
The latest killing occurred on Wednesday, when gunmen killed Udu Nnachi Uzor, a member of the community, in his house. They left his wife, Onyinye, who is nursing a two-month-old baby and three other children, unharmed.
The widow alleged a member of a political group in the area known as Catcham Boys, killed her husband and called for the arrest of the man she alleged to mastermind of the crime.
Before the killing of Uzor, the town union of the community and some stakeholders of the area pronounced the former chairman of the local government, Eni and his younger brother, Uduma banished for seven years.
They also announced that the duo would pay N106million as fine when they return from the banishment after the seven years. The banishment escalated the tension in the community.
Governor Francis Nwifuru who was visibly angry over the crisis, summoned the warring groups to his office on Friday to find lasting solution to the crisis.
The Governor declared that the banishment of Eni and his younger brother was null and void and that it felt short of the constitution of Nigeria.
“We disagree on the banishment on the ground that this banishment negates the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and therefore cannot stand,” he said.
He warned that no civilian in the community no matter the status should bear The Governor further said: “No civilian, no matter who that person is, whether it is Catcham Boys, Trigger-Happy Boys, Amnesty Boys or anyone found with any ammunition or arms should be dealt with according to the rule of law.
“Two, Eni requested that his MAC Truck diverted to unknown destination, should be returned to him. The community should provide his MAC-Truck and return it to him.”
Nwifuru ordered all the warring groups to collapse their structures into the town union leadership and traditional ruler of the community.
He ordered the reactivation of Ekoli Police Post as recommended by Eni to tackle security issues in the community headlong.
