There is anger in the Southeast following Monday’s raid on the Abuja residence of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi.
The raid was allegedly carried out by unidentified security operatives while the police denied knowledge of the invasion.
The raid comes few days after Governor Umahi and his colleagues from the zone banned herdsmen from moving around with arms.
Many groups have condemned the invasion, warning against blackmailing the governors.
Rising from an emergency zonal executive committee meeting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the raid, saying it was backing the Southeast Governors’ Forum on its resolutions.
A statement by the PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Pope Chijioke Ekwegh, said the party viewed the raid as a direct attack on the people of the. According to him, the ban on herdsmen parading with Ak-47 rifles was the right decision.
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Ekwegh said the party was also backing the Governors’ Forum on its rejection of the Ruga settlement.
He said: “We view the raid as an attack on the Igbo people coming just few days after the Southeast Governors’ Forum met and decided on the state of things in Igbo land. We laud the governors for rejecting the proposed Ruga settlement, and we believe that the decision was in the best interest of our people…”
The Nzuko Umunna, a socio-cultural group condemned the invasion, describing it as a cowardly act. A statement by it Coordinator, Joe Odumuko and Secretary Obinna Mbanefo reads: “This cowardly act is coming barely 24 hours after the Southeast Governors Forum banned herders who move around with AK-47 rifles and machetes, and directed security agencies to enforce the order. We note that the invaders were clearly identified as security operatives who subjected occupants of the premises and police officers on duty to intolerable harassment and intimidation before thoroughly ransacking the premises…” [THE NATION]
