Governor David Umahi-led administration said the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ebonyi, Stanley Okoro Emegha has been exonerated from the alleged killings and destruction of valuable properties in Ekoli Edda community in the Afikpo South council area of the state.
Also exonerated from the Ekoli Edda mayhem was the APC candidate for Afikpo South/ North Federal Constituency, Eni Uduma Chima following the confession of the arrested suspects.
The Commissioner of Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji stated this while briefing journalists on Tuesday at the old Government House Abakaliki.
It could be recalled that the Ekoli Edda community in Afikpo South LGA, the hometown of Emegha and Eni was in last December 2022, wildly raged.
The crisis in the area led to the killings of a pregnant woman, police officer, youth leader and Emegha's brother, as well as the houses with other valuables burnt down by the aggrieved members of the crisis community.
It was gathered that Emegha and Eni were allegedly fighting for political supremacy in the Ekoli Edda community, leading to the clashes between their boys following a sheer difference emanating from the town's youth election.
Ebonyi State APC Boss, Stanley Okoro Emegha and APC Candidate for Afikpo North and South Federal Constituency, Eni Uduma Chima.
The situation made Governor David Umahi order the arrest of the two political gladiators with other members of the community who were allegedly perpetrating the crimes in the area. The two political gladiators were reportedly in protective custody.
However, while briefing journalists on Tuesday 17th January 2023, the Governor Umahi-led government through the State Information Commissioner, Uchenna Orji, said it has inaugurated a committee to broker peace between Emegha and Eni alongside their loyalists in the Ekoli Edda community.
Orji said Emegha and Eni were exonerated based on the confession made by suspects arrested in connection with the alleged killings and destruction of valuable properties by the Ebonyi State Police command.
His words: "The committee were charged to resolve the conflict between two brothers of Ekoli Edda, and institute a permanent spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation among brothers and sisters of Ekoli Edda.
"It was noted that the findings of the interim reports by Ebonyi police revealed that those suspects who were arrested and in police custody, their statements did not indict any of these two people (Emegha and Eni).
"I have not said that the police have concluded their report and that has nothing to do with the state government," Orji said.
