The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has asked the Inspector General of Police Usman Baba Ahmed to immediately redeploy his Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Garba Aliyu, and also constitute a committee to probe him over various allegations levelled against his office.
The Ebonyi indigenes also gave the Inspector General a 48-hour to disband Ebubeagu and set up a tactical squad to comb the old Government House Abakaliki.
In a statement made available to newsmen Thursday in Abuja by the President of the association, Amb. Paschal Oluchukwu, said the demands followed some media reports raising the red flag over the degenerating security situation in Ebonyi State as a result of the activities of an armed militia group, Ebubeagu Security Network.
According to the statement, Ebubeagu has no place in Nigeria’s law and democracy going by the extant provisions of Sections 4 and 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria respectively which provides that only the National Assembly shall have powers to legislate on matters about the security of a state under the Nigerian federation and further made an Act creating the Nigerian Police Force as the only security outfit recognized by law has been running amok since it’s establishment through a unknown statute by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
The group said it has “read and uncovered the truth that no single day passes in Ebonyi state without a case of one abduction of a perceived opponent to Umahi’s administration or the other by the said Ebubeagu militia and this is often followed by a terribly vicious torture of their victims at the old Government House, Abakaliki directly opposite the State Police Command Headquarters.”
While accusing CP Aliyu Garba of making himself a willing tool in the hands of the state government, the statement said many Ebonyians have lost their lives in the process. At the same time, majority of the operations and activities go unreported in any section of the media.
“We demand immediately redeploying CP Garba and also constituting a Committee to probe these very weighty allegations that has been leveled against an officer of the law who shouldn’t be above the law! The Police authorities must show cause by disciplining him and his equally accomplice top officers in the State Command to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Deploying a very professional, incorrupt, competent and unbiased CP who will not be easily compromised to dance to the naked and desperate dictates of Governor Umahi. The CP must have records of self-discipline and integrity not one being tried for corrupt practices.
“We give the IGP 48 hours to disband Ebubeagu and set up a tactical squad to comb the old Government House Abakaliki which has since become a crime zone for the Ebubeagu militia and rescue those trapped inside the dungeon. All arms illegally acquired by the group and in their possession should also be retrieved immediately.
“The Nigerian Police authorities should also constitute a public probe panel of enquiry for citizens who have been victims of Ebubeagu torture to lodge their petitions and complaints for immediate treatment of same just like during the EndSARS protest.
“Bring to book all its officers and men of the Ebubeagu Security Network who are found wanting in one way or the other based on the petitions and allegations levelled against its men and officers of Ebubeagu.
“For the IGP, AESICID concludes that a stitch in time can still save nine. Therefore, The time for urgent action is now because we fear that anarchy looms in our beloved State if these alarms are not followed with corresponding actions!”
