Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
There is tension in Ọnicha Local Government at the moment following the alleged kidnap of Linus Okorie, a former member of the House of Representatives, who hails from the area by gunmen.
Mr Okorie, who is the Labour Party candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone was kidnapped on Sunday in Abakaliki.
Okorie is seen by many as the main challenger to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr David Umahi, for the senate seat in the 2023 general election.
He represented Ọhaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives for two terms.
Youths in Onuafor Enuagu Onicha Igboeze on Monday morning barricaded all roads in the area to protest his alleged kidnap.
“No movement until we see Hon. Linus Okorie; Onicha will be too hot for everybody,” they chanted at one of the barricades.
A statement by one Dr David Ogbonna on behalf of Mr Linus’ Caring Heart Campaign Organisation claimed he was kidnapped on Sunday morning on his way to his house in Abakaliki by gunmen suspected to be men of Ebubeagu Security outfit.
The statement alleged that his abductors were sent by a Onicha Local Government Area Chairman, Chidiebere Uzor.
“The available information confirms that he had been severely tortured to a near-death situation, made naked and pictures of him taken by his abductors.
“The information available as at this moment confirms that their end-point motive is to torture him to death and dump his body at Ebonyi River.”
“His phones are currently with the team commander of his abductors,” Mr Ogbonna said.
Continuing he said: “A professional tracking done on his lines revealed “Okoja Road, near Police Headquarters,” as his current location. The second line showed “Ebun-Nwana, Edda.
“We are believing that his abductors may have kept his half-dead body at old Government house where the previous actions of the indicted militia group usually take place.
“It is also alleged that from tomorrow, and days ahead, all Hon. Linus boys and supporters will be hunted down and made to face similar situation.
“We call on the security agencies to swing into action and unravel this situation, get Hon. Linus out and alive from his abductors and bring the perpetrators of this evil to face the wrath of the law.
“We, employ our supporters, Caring Heart members, and friends of Hon. Linus not to give in to unlawful acts but allow the security men do their professional jobs,” the statement read.
A source said the phone lines rang repeatedly when called by concerned friends without no one picking it.
“Later, they switched it off. And since then it has remained switched off,” the source added.
Our Reporter could not independently verify Ebubeagu’s involvement in the said abduction as alleged by Mr Ọgbọnna.
Attempts to speak with the Security Consultant to Ebonyi State government, Stanley Okoro Emegha, who is in charge of Ebubeagu in the state were not successful as his phone lines were switched off.
But the Sector Commander of Ebubeagu, Mr. Friday Ujor, debunked the allegation.
Ujor told Reporters on Sunday night that the report was fake.
“There is nothing concerning Ebubeagu with that information. I have asked the people sending this where it happened, maybe he has fallen into the hands of kidnappers and they are calling Ebubeagu.
“How can someone say that his phone is reading Ebunwana in Afikpo and Abakaliki at the same time? This is a clear case of you wanting to kill a dog and you give it a bad name to suit what you want.”
Onicha Council Chairman, Chidiebere Uzor, haas denied having a hand in the alleged kidnap.
He, however, claimed that the former lawmaker was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for alleged involvement in illegal drugs proliferation in the state.
“I have nothing to do with it, he was not kidnapped. I learnt his City Hub was being used by Mkpurumuri (crystal met) and loud dealers. He is harbouring drug dealers and so he was arrested by security agencies led by NDLEA,” he alleged.
But the NDLEA state commandant, Iyke Uche, denied arresting Mr Okorie.
“We never arrested him and nobody with that name handed over to us by any other security agency. There is nobody like that in our custody,” he said.
Police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Chris Anyawu, on his part said he was not aware of the incident.
“I am not aware. If the Honourable was adopted as purported, won’t anybody go to the Police and report to enable necessary action be taken?
“Again if it is true that Ebubeagu operatives picked him, their office is known and it is expected they should hand him over to the Police if he committed any offence.
“I do not have any official report on this. I am just hearing it from you,” he said.
Mr Okorie, a known critic of Governor David Umahi’s administration has had a running battle with the State Government.
Earlier in the year, the State Government issued an order declaring him wanted for alleged acts that could disrupt the peace through his social media activities.
He denied the allegations and sued the state government at the Abuja High Court and the court in its ruling barred the State Government and security agencies from arresting him or carrying out the order.
