•Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State
The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a middle-aged man identified as David Anoke, by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
The victim was murdered over the weekend at Court Area, Okposi community in the Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, reports Channels TV.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent this morning via a text message, the Police spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, said the command was investigating the killing, adding that officers had been deployed to the area.
He also noted that normalcy had since returned.
“Yes, the command is investigating the killing of one person in Okposi. Meanwhile, officers have been deployed to the area and normalcy has since returned,” Ukandu stated.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ajah Chinonso-Consider, has said that extrajudicial killings in Ohaozara must stop.
Chinonso-Consider said that the local government had always been known as a land of peace, unity, and co-existence, fostering economic growth and development across the three communities of Uburu, Okposi, and Ugwulangwu.
“We cannot allow the activities of criminal elements to tarnish this reputation or destabilise our people.”
“I call for calm, collaboration, and cooperation from all residents as security agencies at both the federal and state levels have already commenced swift investigations to ensure that the perpetrators of this evil act are apprehended and brought to justice,” he added.
According to a statement, as part of preventive and proactive measures, with immediate effect, movement of motorcycles (bikes) and tricycles (keke) in and out of Okposi between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily is hereby prohibited.
The statement partly read, “The bike and ‘keke’ curfew is a security intervention aimed at assisting security agencies in fishing out criminal elements and forestalling further occurrences.
“I appeal and urge stakeholders, traditional rulers, civil society groups, religious leaders, town union executives, and community leaders who have been instrumental in keeping Ohaozara peaceful to continue lending their unwavering support.
“We do not have any other home but Ohaozara, and together we must protect it from the menace of extrajudicial killings, violence, and other criminal activities.
“Let us stand united, remain vigilant, and work collectively with security agencies to restore lasting peace to our land.”
