Ebonyi Dissociates Self from Cleric’s Ordeal

Ebonyi state government has dissociated itself from the current travails of Reverend Father Timothy Ngwuta, who is currently incarcerated in Abakaliki prisons, stating that his case bothers on criminality.

Governor Dave Umahi  of Ebonyi  has been fingered as  the brain behind Ngwuta’s incarceration. But  in a reaction, the Commissioner of Information,  Uchenna Orji said that on the  contrary Ngwuta  was in prison for “the criminal charge  based on his alleged complicity in aiding and abetting war and killings in Effium/Ezza Effium Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.”

Giving details of Ngwuta’s alleged criminal involvement, Orji pointed out that “the  security report made available  to us indicates that Rev. Fr  Timothy Ngwuta was arrested by the surveillance youths and vigilance team of Nwori village in  the warring community when he came in the company of two other suspects on 11th December, 2021 to recover a vehicle suspected to have been used to convey some of the armed warriors  suspected to have unleashed attack on  the security operatives who were in search of the bodies of the 5 NELAN Engineers allegedly killed by kingpins of the warriors.

“The security report further revealed that the said Rev. Father is a native of Inikiri Umuezokaoha Ezza Effium, a section of the warring community where the  suspected attack occurred and it is also on record that he  confirmed in his statements to the Police that he went to Nwori village to recover the car suspected to have been used  by the armed warriors to carry out the attack that led to the death of two  security operatives and others injured during  security operations  at Nwanenwo forest on the 28th day of November, 2021”

Orji said that five  NELAN engineers who were on duty visit to the  State Ring Road Project enroute Nwanenwo  in Ezza Effium axis fell prey to  the attack of the armed tribal warriors on the 3rd day of November, 2021 adding that “the State Government promptly directed security agencies to declare manhunt on perpetrators.”

While exonerating the governor of any complicity, Orji declared: “The governor has no hands whatsoever on the matter as it is purely a serious  security concern handled by the community and the security operatives.”

The commissioner warned that “this  situation does not call for sensational or sentimental publications or conversations, it calls for sober reflection on the lives that have been wasted and properties lost to these needless conspiracies against humanity in Effium/ Ezza Effium Community.”

He lauded the governor and describing him as a leader who “has  unbridled love for the servants of God no matter their faith and he has deep respect for and  shared collaborations with the Catholic community.”