A group Abia North Stakeholders Assembly (ANSA) has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to jettison plans to move the Police Area Command situated in Ohafia to Arochukwu, saying it is totally unacceptable.
While maintaining that non-natives are responsible for the torching of Police station in Ebem Ohafia and the destruction of other government facilities following the killing of Friday Arunsi, a native of the community by a team of policemen, the group demanded immediate reversal of such arrangements.
“The arrangement to move the Police Area Command from Ebem, in Ohafia Local Government Area to Arochukwu Local Government Area over the destruction of police properties and other government properties by non-indigenes of Ebem Ohafia is totally unacceptable to us and we demand a total cancellation of such arrangements,” the group said in a release jointly signed by the President-General, Hon. Goodluck Egwu Ibem and Secretary-General, Hon. Ernest Nmong and made available to ABN TV on Wednesday.
While describing the people of Ebem Ohafia as peace-loving, ANSA said the arson of the police station and a customary court in the community is unfortunate, adding that those who perpetrated the crime are unknown persons.
“The people of Ebem Ohafia are peace-loving people and have lived in peace with the police community for so many years without any dispute or problem with the police community until the unfortunate incident of the killing of Friday Arunsi by constable Christopher Ugwu.
“When the unfortunate incident happened in Ebem Ohafia, before the indigenes of Ebem Ohafia could rally round to protest over the killing of the young man, unknown persons have already started wanton destruction of government properties in Ebem. The house of the DPO was set ablaze, the magistrate was set ablaze, even the high court that was built by an illustrious son of Ebem Ohafia, Chief Okwara Osonwa Okwara and handed over to the government was also set ablaze by the unknown foreigners who want to move the Ohafia Area Command to their Local Government Area by all means possible even though it means killing people.
“As it is always said that, ” you don’t learn how to use your left hands at old age when you’re already known to be using your right hand”. Ohafia people are known for peace and cannot snowball into trouble makers overnight.
“In one of the videos that was done by one young man that called himself “Kalu Uche”. He said in that video that he came into Ohafia last night for the protest. From a reliable source, the young in question is not a native of Ebem Ohafia. He was hired by some detractors to make the said video in order to portray Ebem Ohafia people in a bad light. No Ebem Ohafia indigene will do such a video telling his name and at the same time showing his face. They are not that stupid” ANSA said.
Also Read: Perpetrators Of Ebem Ohafia Disturbances Not Aggrieved — Investigation [VIDEO]
The group continues, “As the leaders and representatives of the people of Abia North Senatorial zone who have lived with our people for so many years and who are mandated by the people to speak for them. We know the antecedents of each community, tribe, and local government and we know what each community and local government is capable of. Ebem Ohafia people were not the ones that destroyed those government properties. They don’t destroy things that belong to them.
“We call on the police authority to cancel the arrangements of moving the Police Area Command to Arochukwu and conduct a thorough and proper investigation into the matter and come out with articulate recommendations that will avert the reoccurrence of such ugly incidence.
“Before the Nigerian Civil War, Ebem Ohafia have always been the headquarter of Abia North senatorial zone. It was chosen by the elites and great leaders of the zone because of its centrality and proximity to all the 5 local government areas that make up the senatorial zone. Charging it now with means to temper with the integrity and respect of the zone.
“The idea of moving the Area Command to Arochukwu will mean to put the people into serious hardship as there is no good motorable road to Arochukwu. The only motorable road to Arochukwu is through Akwa Ibom State which is a very long distance for the people of Abia North.
“Based on investigations conducted so far and confirmed by the new Commissioner of Police, CP, Janet Agbede in her speech that the destruction was not perpetrated by the Ebem Ohafia Indigenes.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, M. A. Adamu to reconsider his decision of moving the Area Command out of Ohafia. It will be totally unjust to punish the people for a sin not committed by them” the group concluded.
