BY PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI—GOVERNOR Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State yesterday accused traditional rulers and politicians from Ezza clan of complicity, following their inability to tell citizens of the state the truth about those behind the brutal killing that took place last Saturday.

This came on a day the governorship candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in last April’s general election in the state, Senator Julius Ali Ucha, described the killing of innocent citizens at Ezza-Ezillo communities as senseless and unreasonable.

Governor Elechi made the allegation while receiving traditional rulers from Ebonyi Central senatorial district, led by Sen Paulinus Igwe Nwagu.

The governor said: “I feel so sad and make bold to say that there is so much insincerity in what we tell ourselves. Many people know what is happening and will never reveal it. We met at the local government council with local leaders and members of the House of Assembly trying to find the root causes of the crisis. After the oath to tell the truth the truth eluded us.

“But since in a democracy we go by majority, it was recommended that Ezza  should respect land boundaries and that based on the growth of the population, government should add more portion of land to the originally held by them”.

He regretted that despite the fact that the additional land allotted to the Ezzas was three times more than the previous property, and while he went on air on October 2, 2008, to inform Ebonyi people of the

decisions with a plan to provide access roads, water and electricity; the Ezzas took the government to court.

“On the very day we met here to tell everybody what happened, there was a quarrel between some traditional rulers and Sen Offiah Nwali, who claimed that they were not taken into confidence and that the area was landlocked. Incidentally the survey plan was part of the exhibit.

So we said let us all allow the court to give a ruling. Then hell was let loose; killing of innocent people.

“Still the casualty figure kept rising; just because brothers woke up fighting themselves and we came in. Some people made political capital out of it. I hate falsehood; there are those who have a hand in that crisis. That is why civil wars are harder to fight than wars against nations. It is the Judases in our midst who are causing the mayhem,” Elechi maintained.

Short of accusing the senator of complicity, the governor told him that “it was easier for you to reach me than mobilizing all these traditional rulers”, recalling that at a meeting he held with members

of the National and State Assemblies the previous day, only the senator representing Ebonyi Central was absent.

Earlier, the traditional rulers of Amagu Ikwo and Ezza respectively had pledged to cooperate with the government to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Meanwhile, governorship candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in last April’s general election in Ebonyi State, Sen Julius Ali Ucha, has described as senseless and unreasonable killing of innocent citizens in the communities.

In a statement, the senator condemned the brutal and gruesome massacre of innocent people at Ezillo and called on well meaning Nigerians to do same, saying such act was capable of disintegrating the unity existing in the state.

“It is with heavy heart and deep sense of sorrow that I strongly condemn the brutal and gruesome massacre of innocent people at Ezillo.

“The attack on these defenceless people at Ezillo is not only senseless and unreasonable but barbaric and should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians,” he said.

Ucha called on security agencies to commence full  investigation into the crisis to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

He added:  “I, therefore, call on the security agencies to commence  investigation on this colossal tragedy to fish out the perpetrators of this terrific and heinous crime.

“I also wish to use this medium to console and sympathize with those who lost their loved ones and properties in this mass killing and blood bath and pray that the good Lord will give them the fortitude to bear these irreparable losses.”

In a related development, state Commissioner  for Health, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, who paid a courtesy visit on some of the victims, on admission at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, FETHA, reassured them of government’s commitment towards ensuring that the death toll resulting from the crisis was reduced to its barest minimum.

Nwangele stressed that the Ministry of Health would not rest on its oasis until all the victims were given the necessary attention needed to improve on their health state.