Mixed reactions have continued to trail the alleged kidnap of a former Coordinator of Anuagata Development Centre in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Amos Ogbonna, by unknown gunmen. The former council boss was reportedly trailed by gun men, on Thursday, as he returned from a Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting of the Federal Government College, Okposi, in Ohaozara LGA of the State, and whisked away in a car.
The development generated tension in the state on Friday as various groups accused each other of masterminding the abduction.
The subsequent release of the victim by his captors, however, did not stop the series of accusations and counter-accusations.
His party, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and various groups and individuals have issued statements on the incident.
Ogbonna, who is allegedly one of the key leaders of the G64 that appeared on an African Independent Television (AIT) programme, last week, before his abduction and the PDP, in a statement, accused the State Government and the Commissioner of Police (CP) of complicity in the matter.
“If Amos is not released, then we all know that the need for self defence has become eminent and the Commissioner of Police is incapable of protecting lives and properties of Ebonyi people. Only his removal can restore confidence in the police as he has become a politician,” stated the PDP.
But in a quick reaction, the State Commissioner for Information, Orji Uchenna Orji, described the purported kidnap saga as a “grand design” by the PDP publicity secretary’s “syndicate of political howlers to cause tension in the state and incite public hatred on a government they hold in a very high esteem.”
He said, “We have it on good authority that millions of naira have been voted to these conscienceless fellows to hatch and execute unprintable atrocities and keep social media and other media platforms busy with unthinkable fabrications against the state government, with a view to attacking the hard-earned reputation of our dear governor and the testimonials of his great accomplishments.
“We, therefore, dissociate and distance ourselves from the thoughts and claims of these PDP officials, who for pecuniary and political reasons have covenanted with the opposition forces to unleash falsehood on the state Government.”
Orji further accused one Linus Okorie, the former member who represented Ohaozara/Onicha/ Ivo Federal Constituency at the House House of Representatives (2011-2019), of getting involved in the move to run down the image of the Governor for pecuniary purposes.
Reacting, Okorie denied the allegation of his involvement and challenged the Ebonyi APC and its publicity secretary “to go public with evidence substantiating its various allegations”against him and state chapter of the PDP.