Tension in Ebonyi as youths protest death of APC LG chairman

www.odogwublog.com reports that there is tension  in Ebonyi state as more than 200 youths under the auspices of Ezza Ezekuna Youth Association yesterday stage a peaceful protest over the delay by the Nigeria Police Force, Enugu State Police Command to commence investigation into the death of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ezza North Local Government Area of the State, Barr Ernest Odu.

The protesting youths matched to the gate of government house Abakaliki carrying placards with inscriptions such as: IGP, please investigate the death of our son; Ezza Youth mourns Barr. Ernest; We don’t want the death of our brother swept under the carpet; the cause of his death must be made public among others.

Speaking on behalf of the youths, Barrister Leonard Alegu, said that they were in the government house to register their grievances over the delay by the Enugu police command to launch investigation into the death of the deceased.

“Since Saturday, 17th of August that our brother was said to have slumped and died in a hotel in Enugu, where he went to attend a political meeting, nothing has been heard about his death. We are worried that the Police command in Enugu State has not commenced investigation and we are calling for justice”.

“We are here to make a passionate appeal to the Ebonyi State government to please liaise with the Enugu State Police command not just to investigate the cause of the death but to unravel the cause of his death because, justice will not be achieved if the cause of his death is not unraveled”, Barr. Alegu said.

Receiving the protesters, the Chief of Staff, Ebonyi state Government House, Dr Offor Okorie thanked the protesting Ezza youths for making the protest peaceful rather than taking laws into their hands.

Okorie assured the youths that the state government having received their complaints would ensure that justice was done.

He urged them to return back to their different houses and not to allow miscreants hijack the protest as that would not go down well with the state government.

Also, the Ebonyi State Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Tony Olofu, said that the Ebonyi State Police command would collaborate with its Enugu State command to look into the matter.

He further assured them that everything contained in the letter submitted to the police command would get to the appropriate authorities adding that whatever their grievances were would be addressed and urged to return home and go on their lawful businesses.