A former Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Barr Eni Chima, on Thursday, exonerated the people of Ekoli Edda community in the council area from the killing of the wife of the Ebubeagu Commander, Kalu Chima.
This was as he vowed to deploy his time, energy and resources to, in collaboration with security agencies, unravel the perpetrators of the heinous act. He also urged mischief makers to steer clear from their antics of disunity and name-calling in order to curry favour from the authorities.
The seven-month pregnant deceased, Mrs Urenwa Chima, was shot dead on Sunday by hoodlums who also set her husband’s house on fire at Ama Etiti-Amoso village, Etiti Edda community, in the Afikpo South LGA, at 2.30 am.
The PUNCH reports that mixed reactions have continued to trail her killing, with rumours in some quarters that the ex-council boss was allegedly behind it.
But in a swift reaction, Eni claimed neither he nor any member of his Ekoli Edda community had a hand in the incident, calling on relevant authorities to swing into action to unearth those responsibly and bring them to book.
He said, “The killing of a pregnant woman and wife of the Commander of Ebubeagu Security Operatives in Afikpo South Local Government Area is extremely wicked and condemnable. This barbaric act cannot be excused under any guise, and I shall invest my time, material, and other resources to get to the root of the matter and cause law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.
“While I condemn in the strongest terms these satanic acts, I make bold to state that the general public should not be deceived by the attempts by desperately wicked individuals to divert attention from objective, thorough and diligent investigation. The red herring will not stand and their dubious conclusion cannot endure, for, it will be exposed for what it is- a sham.
“I do not wish to join issues with the S.A. to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Internal Security, Hon. Eze Panchris Ikechukwu, concerning the statement attributed to him to the effect that the atrocities of arson and murder of a pregnant woman were traceable to Barr. Eni Uduma Chima, former Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area, as the sponsor and “those who call themselves Warriors of Edda or Ekoli…”
“Hon. Eze Panchris Ikechukwu may be speaking from an honest but ignorant mindset, especially having no training in crime and investigation. But then, such disposition should not be a license to sell dummies to the public when he has ample room to double-check and find facts.
“Eze may also be speaking from emotions, considering the enormity of the crimes and the fact that the Commander of Ebubeagu whose wife was killed, is his comrade. Also, coming at the heels of the ugly occurrences in Ekoli Edda on 26th December 2022, the temptation to generalise hastily is there, yet, one should be circumspect with words not backed up with corresponding facts.
“I make bold to assert that the arson and killing of a pregnant woman in Amoso Edda have nothing to do with the Ekoli-Edda people, who regrettably violently reacted to the killing of a youth leader- Mr. Eseni Kalu Egwu- in Ekoli Edda. The Amoso Edda atrocities also have nothing to do with the supporters and loyalists of Barr. Eni Uduma Chima who are currently being harassed all over the places by Ebubeagu Operatives.”
