No fewer than twelve persons were yesterday reportedly brutalized and hospitalized following a crisis that rocked Ekoli-Edda community, Edda local government area, as result of town union headship tussle.
Recall that on 26th December, 2022, the residence of the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, was burnt down, and his younger brother and police orderly were killed, while on the 31st December, 2022, a seven-month pregnant woman and wife of the Ebubeagu Commander of Edda LGA, was killed and her house set ablaze, as a result of the same town union crisis.
DAILY POST reports that Ekoli-Edda community is boiling again, as the situation has created lots of apprehensions and palpable fear among members of the affected community.
The twelve youths were reportedly beaten up because of their stand on the town union leadership tussle.
The victims include: Chibuzor Agwu, Samuel (Akpakara), Sunday (Charger), Okeh Onwuka, Ufiem Orji Kalu, Anyele Ukaoma, Ugbo Ude, Mr. Okoro Stanley Onu, Kalu Anya, Nnachi Akanu Paul Oke, Orji Ama.
The youths reportedly sustained machete cuts and other sundry injuries.
It was gathered that after the tenure of the former leadership expired, the Chairman of the Council, Ekumankama Chima, dissolved the exco and set up a 12-man Caretaker Committee, which will pilot the affairs of the union for another six months, before a fresh election will be conducted.
The action of the council boss instigated an opposing group, which insisted that no caretaker committee should be set up or inaugurated to pilot the affairs of the town union, even as the state government has emphasized that the new 12-man caretaker committee will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 14th November, 2023 at Ekoli-Edda community
Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, the Commissioner for Internal Security, Hon. Prince Etta Uka Ude stated that the military had been deployed to the troubled community to maintain peace and order, adding that the state government would ensure that no life would be lost in the cause of the inauguration exercise by next week.
“I am interested in the peace of my people. We were making sure that there is peace in Ekoli-Edda community. Ekoli community has written to me, saying that no election should hold as people had died in that community recently. To stop causalities, an interim government was set for the purpose of the town union leadership.
“The military went there to make sure that there’s peace. Almost seven causalities are in the hospital. The 12 man committee were selected from the 12 villages that make Ekoli Edda community,” he stated.