By Kenneth Onuoha
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, on Friday vowed to openly take on the former governor of the state, Senator Sam Egwu, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim and other National Assembly members from Ebonyi if they continue to disturb the peace of the state.
Umahi made this declaration while briefing journalists shortly after a meeting with all security chiefs in the state.
He said: “I want the media to note that I reported an allegation that some Ebonyi people are engaging cultists and according to them, some IPOB members, to start killings and causing crisis in Ebonyi State in the name of fighting Ebonyi State Government and the governor.
“And their leader is Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and their members are Dr. Sam Egwu, Senator Obinna Ogba, Mr Ali Odefa and others.
“This is the alleged information I got and I needed to share this information with the security agencies. The reason is that every governor in the state has been fought by the same set of people and it is very interesting to know that the same Senator Pius Anyim fought the former governor, Egwu and many people were killed.
“I am not saying that this information is true or not but I needed to raise an alarm because lives will be lost. I pray to God that this shouldn’t be true. And I have asked the security agencies to reach out to them.
“Their party (PDP) will exist peacefully in the state and nobody is going to harass them. But it is important to put it on notice that this is what we heard. It may be true and it may not be true.
“It is something that we need to bring to the notice of the members of the public, so that, God forbid, if the information is true and it starts happening, let it be that I got the information and I shared it with security agencies.
“I have also directed security agencies to reach them and assure them that nobody will harass them. That nobody will stop their activities in the state and this is very important.
“Finally, I have also directed security agencies to ensure the implementation of policies on tinted glasses of vehicles in the state. The use of siren and then police escort.
“And the same set of people use sirens, use police escorts and use tinted glasses and when they get to their various localities the police will be shooting into the air. We do not want that.
“And I have asked the security agencies to insist on deposing them of such police that they use to harass our innocent citizens. And to stop those who are not supposed to use siren, tinted glasses and cover plates from doing that.
“It is only in Ebonyi state that such a thing is being abused. When I finish, I will go back to my business, by God’s special grace. If you catch me in a tinted glass vehicle, then you have to arrest me.
“Nobody is above the law. Nobody is asking them to join APC, but they cannot set the state on crisis. We cannot allow them. They should be told that we will confront them openly if they try to start killings in Ebonyi state; the governor is appealing to them to be peaceful and know that Ebonyi belongs to all of us.
“Nobody is the owner of the state, so let them not stay in Abuja or another place and behave like they are the owners of the state. If they try to fight the state, this will be their last fight, they will fight this one and they will not fight again,” Governor Umahi threatened.