By Uche Onyeali
Civil society organisation under the aegis of Youth and Civil Society Coalition for Development, YCSCD, has petitioned the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa over alleged incitement of carnage Ihitteafoukwu community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
AljazirahNigeria recalls that the coalition had last week ordered one Mr. Ethelbert Ugwu to apologise to Governor Hope Uzodimma and people of Imo State within 72 hours, for allegedly inciting the invasion of Ihitteafoukwu community by the military.
Ugwu was alleged to have falsely informed security agencies of purported arrangement by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to bury their dead member in the community.
In reaction, YCSCD in its ultimatum to Mr Ugwu, noted that such misinformation would have led to total instability in the entire Ahiazu Mbaise and Imo State, but for the swift intervention of community leaders.
As the 72 hours ultimatum given to the false informant elapsed, the coalition in a letter to the CDS, signed by its deputy national president, Comrade Martin Igwe, and copied to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and Human Rights Radio, notified General Musa of the dangers of the illegal activities of Mr. Ugwu to national security and peace, if he is not brought to book.
“I write to bring to your notice the activities of Mr. Ethelbert Ugwu who misinformed the security agencies that the Indigenous People of Biafra will be coming to bury one of their members in Ihitteafoukwu community, Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State, during the month of December 2024.
“A purported letter emanating from IPOB was shared. This brought a lot of military presence with many running away from their families, leaving others in fear.
“The same Ethelbert Ugwu went to Imo State Police Headquarters Tiger Base Unit to misinform the department that IPOB is mobilising for burial. He was sent out by the commander who knew him,” Igwe wrote.
He also drew the attention of the defence chief of alleged fraudulent activities carried out by Ugwu, which he said could cause conflicts in families, communities, as well as the local government.
According to Igwe, “Information available to me confirms that his (Ugwu) elder brother’s son died; he collected monies for the autopsy, ritual and possible burial. Instead of burying the boy he went to the late boy’s mother to appeal to her to accept for them to go to where the late boy works to collect N15,000,000.
“When the mother of the late boy refused he now misinformed the security to descend on the whole community.
“Understanding the negative impact of this to the local community, local government and Imo State, I gave him 72 hours to apologise to the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodima, for being an agent of instability in a state committed to stamping out pockets of conflict. He never showed any remorse.
“I am surprised that Mr. Ethelbert Ugwu did not apologise to the government of Imo State until the time of this letter.
“I sincerely call on your office to arrest Mr. Ethelbert Ugwu and confirm his link with IPOB letter and the whereabouts of the IPOB members, and investigate allegation made by his immediate family of secret grave which he has denied.
“The consequences of military invasion in a community due to IPOB related issues is better imagined than experienced.
“This kind of individuals are confirmed threat to peace in our local communities and must be brought to justice. The time for civil society and your office to expose enemies of national peace is now.”
Acknowledging the commitment of the military to stamp out crime and criminality and safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity, the coalition pledged to continue to compliment their effort in actualise such mission for national peace and development.
