Officers of South East Security network, codenamed Ebubeagu on parade in Ebonyi State

Justice Riman Fatun of Federal High Court Abakaliki division on Monday declared Southeast Security network, otherwise known as “Ebubeagu” in Ebonyi illegal and consequently ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to collect all the weapons in possession of operatives of the security outfit.

The court delivered the judgment in a suit filed by Mr Abia Onyike, Director of Media and Publicity, Ebonyi PDP Campaign Council, for the forthcoming general elections.

Justice Fatun ordered the disbandment of Ebubeagu security initiative due to the human rights abuses, extortions, illegal arrests and use of firearms perpetuated by the body.

“I hereby declare the Ebubeagu outfit illegal and therefore, it ceases to exist as Ebonyi State House of Assembly has no powers to approve their existence,” he stated.

The Court also ordered Ebonyi Government to pay Onyike the sum of N50 million as damages over his abduction and torture by the Ebubeagu Security Outfit in Abakaliki in Nov. 2022.

Ebubeagu had on Nov. 11, 2022, arrested and detained Onyike,

Mr Micheal Odo, Counsel to Onyike, told journalists that he approached the Court to seek for a determination on, “Whether the Ebonyi State House of Assembly has the constitutional powers to enact such Security Agency.

“I also approached the court to seek whether the arrest of the plaintiff on 9/11/2022 and detention and torture by operatives of the Ebubeagu Security Agency and/or Ebonyi State Ebubeagu Corps at the Old Government House , Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, are lawful.

“I am happy over the judgement and today, justice has been done to my client,” Odo added.

The counsel to the state government could not be found to speak with reporters after the judgement.