…Hold Okorie, Egwu accountable, says Ebonyi Govt
By Kenneth Onuoha
365Daily – The alleged abduction of the former Coordinator of Okposi Development Centre, Ebonyi State, Barrister Amos Ogbonnaya, is generating ripples with accusations and counter accusations by some political actors in the state.
The victim was alleged to have been kidnapped on his way after attending a short meeting at a popular eatery in Abakaliki.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has accused the state government of masterminding the abduction of the PDP chieftain.
However, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barrister Uchenna Orji, denied the allegation, saying it was part of a grand design by a syndicate of political howlers to cause tension in the state and incite public hatred on a government they hold in a very high esteem.
Orji said: “it has come to our knowledge that some officials of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State, particularly Barr. Silas Joseph Onu, Hon. Linus Okorie and Ali Odefa have resorted to dirtier intrigues in their desperate but regrettable move to run down the name of our dear Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE (Akubaraoha) and the image of the state government.
“We have it on good authority that millions of Naira have been voted to these conscienceless fellows to hatch and execute unprintable attrocities and to keep social media and other media platforms busy with unthinkable fabrications against the State Government, with a view to attacking the hard earned reputation of our dear Governor and the testimonials of his great accomplishments.
“The General Public is invited therefore to note that this latest press release of PDP Ebonyi State Chapter on alleged kidnap of one Amos Ogbonna, authored by Barr. Silas Joseph Onu, is part of the grand design by his sindicate of political howlers to cause tension in the state and incite public hatred on a government they hold in a very high esteem. We therefore dissociate and distance ourselves as Government from the thoughts and claims of these PDP officials, who for pecuniary and political reasons, have covenanted with the opposition forces to unleash falsehood on the State Government.
“From information available, it is obvious that Amos Ogbonna was last seen with Hon. Linus Okorie and Chidiebere Egwu( Alias Hulala). We therefore demand that Security Agencies should hold them accountable on the whereabouts of their co-traveller as circumstancial evidence points compellingly on their complicity in their allegation.”
However, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Linus Okorie, has described the allegation of his complicity in the abduction as concotted, childish, unintelligent and unfounded.
In a press statement, Okorie urged Ebonyi State Government to fast track the release of the victim to avoid being murdered by his abductors, and in order to seal the identity of the perpetrators.
The ex-lawmaker declared that he never ordered the kidnap of the former Coordinator, adding that it was already in the public domain that one Chinonso Obasi, aka Consoder, has been alleged to be the mastermind of the abduction.
Okorie said: “I wish to state unequivocally that the allegation is false, concocted, childish, unfounded, unintelligent, imbecilic and, evidently, a hollow decoy intended to divert the attention of the public and security agencies from otherwise credible leads pointing strongly in the direction of the APC, its members and authorities in the State.
“No amount of consulated decoys and sophistry will detract attention from that undenied fact, especially as both the victim and the suspect hail from the same Okposi community and the crime happened on home-ground. I’m confident that whenever Amos is released, tie world shall hear his full story.
“I wish to passionately appeal to the Governor David Umahi to quickly intervene and ensure that Amos is not killed to cover up the identity of his abductors. This is more so given that the painful memory of the Late Ihebunandu Okorie, himself a former Coordinator in Okposi, and how he was mysteriously murdered is still very fresh to allow a repeat.”
Meanwhile, the Police in the State have said they have not received official complaints from the victim’s family so as to swing into investigation on the alleged abduction.
The Police Spokesperson, DSP Loveth Odah said: “The most important thing is for the family of the victim to do the needful by providing useful information to the Police for possible rescue of the victim and apprehension of the perpetrators.”