Ebonyi Govt, CSOs Differ Over Human Rights Abuses

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) yesterday differed with the Ebonyi State government over alleged rise in human rights abuses in the state.

In a joint press conference in Abakaliki, the CSOs and CUPP alleged that the state was one of the few states of the federation that has witnessed the highest cases of serial abuses of human rights, authoritarian dictatorship and downright disregard for human dignity perpetrated in virtually most cases by the government in power. 

CSOs and CUPP leaders, Oko Sampson Nweke of Human Right Defenders, Chinedum Enekwachi of Coalition of United Political Parties and Monday Eze of Ebonyi First Vanguard, said they noted with dismay the rising cases of killings, abductions, intimidations, harassments and flagrant suppression of the rights of Ebonyi citizens especially those in opposition political parties.

“Among several others, the most recent cases in point are: the recent gruesome murder of HRH Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in his Umuezeokoha palace by unknown assailants.

“The ongoing persecution of Prof Benard Odoh, the APGA gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections by the state government.  The harassment and intimidation of Mark Onu (aka Chopper) who recently resigned his appointment as senior special assistant to the governor and defected to the PDP.

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“The abduction of the youth leader of PDP in Nkomoro ward Ezza North LGA, Mr Nwokpoku Sunday on March 7, 2023. The attack on Dr Sunday Adol Awam, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State.”

They condemned the murder of HRH Ezeogo Igboke Ewa and charged the Police, the IGP and other relevant security agencies, including the Army, to explore all avenues for proper and diligent investigation so as to bring his killers to book.

But in a swift reaction, the special assistant to the governor on Media and Strategy, Mr Chooks Okoh, accused the chairman of CSOs and CUPP of being members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) masquerading as human rights groups.