The South East Zonal Youth leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Chidiebere Egwu, says any plan to link him with the insecurity challenges in the South East of the country will not work.
Egwu said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, following series of attacks on government facilities and police formations in the South East.
He was reacting to allegations made by some politicians in Ebonyi that he and other leaders of his party were behind the attacks.
The PDP Youth leader, who washed his hands off the attacks by gunmen in South East and Ebonyi, said that the clarification became necessary to draw attention to unwarranted attacks on his person by some officials.
“I have never been found wanting in any way or form since my path crossed with my former boss, governor Umahi, since 2014,” Egwu stated.
According to him, I am now the Zonal Youth leader of the PDP in the South East because of how I served my former boss (Umahi) with overwhelming confidence as Youth leader in Ebonyi.
“It is worthy to say that I was one of the firsts to be appointed a Technical Assistant to the Governor on Internal Security, and I worked tirelessly to ensure Ebonyi was peaceful.
“I was later promoted as SA on Internal Security (Urban) and later, as Caretaker Chairman of Ikwo LGA, the governor’s area council.
“I only parted ways with the governor because I refused to follow him to the ruling APC in November 2020 and that has been the real issue between us,” Egwu said.
He called on security agents to go after the perpetrators of crime in the state and in the South East and continue to be professional and ethical in the discharge of their duty.
Egwu, however, cautioned Ebonyi youths who had become willing tools of politicians for the perpetuation of attacks on individuals and police formations to be very careful.
“I am using this opportunity to draw the attention of all security agencies including the military, Human Rights groups and the international community to the negative development and attacks on me and other PDP leaders in Ebonyi.
“I urge the youth of my party to remain law abiding and go about their routine businesses as we cannot suddenly become afraid of the masquerade we masked.”
Mr. Francis Nwaze, Special Adviser, Media, to Ebonyi State Governor, dismissed the allegation as unnecessary noting that “when you are afraid of your shadow, you start running when no one is pursuing you.”
Nwaze added that the governor was doing so much to ensure insecurity in the state was nipped in the bud.
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He listed EndSARS youth summit organized in the state and the inauguration of Ebubeagu security outfit as some of the efforts by the state government and South East in general to engage the youth.
The governor’s SA on Media noted that such developments were geared toward finding solutions to the insecurity problem in the zone.
“The governor has also given room for youths to present their agitations and demands, and he is ready to carry everybody along.
“Also, the visit of the AIG of Police in the zone to the state is part of the process of ensuring that the insecurity currently troubling the South East is nipped in the bud.
“This is an agitation that is genuine but it is obvious that criminals have hijacked it and tagged themselves IPOB and all that.
“The agitations also created room for bandits to cause mayhem in the zone,” he added.
