BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested an ex soldier, James Agena and others for alleged arms smuggling and aiding of Effuim crisis in Ohaukwu Local government area of the state.
Following the arrest, a group known as Ebonyi First Vanguard, on Tuesday called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, to immediately takeover the investigation of the alleged involvement of an armourer of Ebonyi State Police Command, Inspector Chika Elom, an ex-soldier, James Agena and others, in the lingering communal war in Effium Community of Ebonyi State to unravel all the sponsors of the war and prosecute them.
The group made the call in a statement signed by its Director General, Monday Ezeh.
It said the call became necessary having received the news of the arrest of Elom and Agena, for their alleged complicities in the ongoing communal war in Effium community of Ebonyi State.
The group recalled the incident it said happened in April 2021 when over 50 war mercenaries arrested at the war theatre of Effium community by the GOC 82 Division of Nigerian Army and handed over to Ebonyi State Police Command for investigation and prosecution were allegedly allowed to escape.
The statement reads: “Ebonyi-First Vanguard, having received the news of the arrest of the armourer of Ebonyi State Police Command, (Insp. Chika Elom), an ex-soldier (James Agena) and others as well as their alleged complicities in the ongoing communal war in Effium community of Ebonyi State is hereby appealing to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali, and the National Security Adviser, Major Gen. Babagana Monguno, to take over the investigation of the case to unravel all the sponsors of the war and prosecute them.
“Ebonyi First Vanguard strongly feels that given the alleged involvement of a sensitive officer of Ebonyi State Police Command such as the armourer and other influential persons, it is doubtful that the command will not be influenced if it is allowed to investigate the matter.
“The group regrets that the communal war which started in January 2021 in Effium community of Ebonyi State wherein thousands of lives of men, women, the physically-challenged and children have been lost has defied Federal Government efforts making people to suspect that highly-placed people and even security agencies have hands in the war.
“Ebonyi First Vanguard believes that if this matter is dispassionately investigated and the criminals brought under the full weight of the law by the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser, the end of the carnage in Effium community and the waste of the resources of the overstretched Federal Government in Effium community will be in sight.”
Effium Community in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State has been enmeshed in a lingering communal war since January 2021 which started as fracas among market toll handlers but has claimed hundreds of lives and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
