The family members of Mr John Ekpono of Agharoza, Iboko, in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State will forever remember the significance of June 12. However, little did they anticipate that this particular day would bring about a bleak and uncertain future for their entire family.
The distressing scene unfolded as their homes and farmlands were mercilessly destroyed by a group of youths in the area.
This destructive act was instigated by a revelation made by a certain man of God, who accused Mr John Ekpono and others of being responsible for the community’s misfortunes and setbacks.
Convinced by this revelation, the enraged youths embarked on a rampage, setting fire to Ekpono’s houses, farmlands, and other valuable possessions, all while branding him as an evil individual. Mr Chijioke Ekpono, the victim’s son, recounted their harrowing experience and expressed his concern that the masterminds behind this attack were planning further harm against his family members.
He revealed that the villagers had organized a crusade in the village, but the Chairman of Izzi Local Government Area had dispatched security operatives to disrupt the event due to the lack of official permission from the local government.
Chijioke further explained that he confronted the organizers of the crusade because his father’s name had been implicated as one of the culprits responsible for the community’s misfortunes, which ultimately led to the destruction of their family properties. The situation remains tense as the family grapples with the aftermath of this devastating incident.
The villagers of Agharoza banded together, plotted, and destroyed all that my father had worked for in his lifetime. They set fire to our homes, ruined our fields, and committed numerous other atrocities. “May God come to our rescue,” he lamented.
In a telephone conversation with OBASANJONEWS on Friday evening, Chairman of Izzi Local Government Area, Barrister Stephen Emenike Nwakpu, verified the incident, condemning it as unnecessary and savage.
Nwakpu disclosed that over 30 individuals responsible for the arson have been apprehended, charged, and detained in Abakaliki custodial center, while others remain fugitives.
The local government chairman assured that steps are being taken to ensure suitable conditions for the victims’ resettlement.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Ebonyi State Command, DSP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident to OBASANJONEWS, mentioning that an investigation is underway to capture the remaining suspects.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Ebonyi State has intervened in the severe human rights violations, as stated by the state coordinator, Mr. Christopher Okorie, who expressed dismay at the barbarity driven by superstition.
Okorie criticized the reliance on baseless revelations and superstitions to target innocent individuals in society, emphasizing the commission’s dedication to ensuring justice prevails in the case as a warning to others.
