Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
United States Embassy, has acknowledged the receipt of a petition seeking visa ban for Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, over barbaric killings by Ebubeagu militia group.
The petition was written by the Human Rights Writers Association HURIWA.
HURIWA, had urged the US and other foreign missions to deny visa to Umahi and members of his family over “barbaric use of the Ebubeagu militia to commit crimes against humanity.”
The civil society organisation decried the level of senseless killings going on in Ebonyi State.
HURIWA’s Country Director, Amina Mohammed, in the petition, chronicled the atrocities of Ebubeagu security outfit in Ebonyi State and how it is going after members of the opposition.
The rights group had also called on security agencies to closely monitor the activities of Umahi and not allow him use his privileged position to deal with the opposition.
It also called for the immediate disbandment of Ebubeagu outfit which according to the group has turned against hapless citizens.
Meanwhile, former Commissioner for Police, Aliyu Garba, has been redeployed from Ebonyi State as requested by HURIWA.
Ebonyi and Imo, the only states in the South-East controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have witnessed more bloody violence than other states in the zone.
