Ebonyi state Correspondent of This Day Newspaper and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ), the state council, Benjamin Nworie has petitioned Governor Dave Umahi, alleging threat to his life.
Nworie was arrested by Policemen around 10 am on Saturday morning alongside some members of his Ezzagu community, Ishielu local government area of the state and taken to police headquarters, Abakaliki and released at about 9:pm of same day following a petition against him.
Nworie said he was arrested in Ezzagu community where he was meeting with the community and forcefully taken to police headquarters.
In an open letter he wrote to governor Umahi, he alleged that a former member of the state House of Assembly and a stakeholder of the community, Chief Julius Nwokpor was after his life.
Nworie also accused Nwokpor of being involved in anti-government activities, community instability.
Part of his letter reads,”Your Excellency, as a media practitioner and ardent supporter who is abreast with your Excellency’s passion for peace and unity in the land of Ebonyi state since your assumption of office in 2015, I humbly inform you of unpeaceful activities of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on House of Assembly Matters, Hon. Julius Nwokpor in Ezzagu Community.
“This concern is to bring to your notice the wittingly confrontation and opposition to government decisions by Hon. Julius Nwokpor and his conscripted cohorts who are bent on causing total breach of peace in Ezzagu Community.
“As your appointee, it baffles and worries me why Hon. Julius Nwokpor has been leading a dissident group to fight and oppose the leadership of Ogboji General Assembly, a town Union of Ezzagu Community as constituted by the Chairman of Ishielu local government area, Hon. Sunday Henry Eze, which was ratified by both the Commissioners of Internal security and his Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters counterpart.
“Without fear of contradiction, Hon. Julius Nwokpor and his group have not hidden their disdain to the administration of Sunday Henry Eze, which has been traced to be secretly sponsored by a Serving Senator, just to cause crisis in Ezzagu Community and distract your administration both at the local government and State levels.
“At many instances, Nwokpor and his group had petitioned the John Anyalegu led caretaker Committee as constituted by the local government Chairman.
The last intervention from Ebonyi State Government through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Barrister Sam Okoronkwo upheld the caretaker Committee as constituted by the council chairman.
“Also, the Town Union contention has been brought before various Heads of Government including the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala; Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Hon. Stanley Okoro; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Barrister Sam Okoronkwo and they all upheld the Constitution of the Caretaker Committee as appointed by the Chairman of Ishielu local government area.
“However, Hon. Nwokpor agreed in front of the the Commissioner Okoronkwo for some days before he instigated his group to sue the Caretaker Committee to stop parading themselves.
“Though, the court has not issued any injunction or even heard the matter, but Nwokpor further instigated two of his cohorts to petition me, Comrade Benjamin Nworie to the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State command.
“The role of Hon. Julius Nwokpor as a leader of the group was confirmed by one of the petitioners, Donatus Nwekpa, during interrogation by the police.
“The petition against me was sequel to my appointment by the legitimate National Caretaker President, Comrade John Anyalegu, as the Electoral Committee Chairman for the selection of the traditional ruler of Ezzagu Community”.
Nworie equally described the arrest as a threat to his life and called on the Governor to call his appointee to order.
When contacted on phone, Mr Nwokpo denied ever masterminding Nwories arrest, according to him, “I’m not in the village, I have no hand in his arrest, I did not even know that Benjamine was appointed in any committee, he should not use his position as official of NUJ to tarnish my person, if anybody paid him to do that he should collect the money but not to destroy my person because of his position.
“I am not against this government, we were nine of us in the House that works for this government, is it now that it is doing well that I will fight against it, the local government chairman is my brother and friend i cannot fight him, but the only thing I spoke against was the constitution of caretaker chairmen in our communities, I told him that since the matter is in court, we should allow the court come out with its ruling before doing anything”.
