… Says judgment dead on arrival
The Ebonyi State Government says it will not obey the court judgment that disbanded the Southeast Security Network, code-named, Ebubeagu, describing it as illegal.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, on Tuesday ordered the disbandment of Ebubeagu citing abuse of human rights.
The court also ordered the Department of State Services, DSS and the police to collect all the weapons in possession of the personnel of the outfit.
But addressing journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, described the judgment as dead on arrival.
Describing the judgment as illegal, Orji said, “Ebubeagu has legal backing to its existence and operations not only in Ebonyi but the entire southeast. We will not hesitate to go to the Supreme Court to know who is right in this circumstance.”
Also speaking, Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, the Ebonyi State APC Chairman and Special Security Consultant (SSC) to the state government, noted that moves were already being made to appeal the judgement.
Okoro-Emegha expressed optimism that the appellate court will reverse the verdict in due course because the outfit has a firm legal backing to its existence.
He urged politicians to stop playing with the security of society, irrespective of the party they belong to.
“Ebubeagu is perfectly designed by law to complement the effort of the security agencies in tackling insecurity.
“We will not listen to that Federal High Court ruling of Tuesday because we have a similar ruling previously, which we won in 2022. Of course, the lives of citizens are of utmost importance to us.
“We will appeal the judgement and Ebubeagu will continue to function the way they have been functioning. So, we will not adhere to that judgement,” he stated.
Okoro-Emegha urged the opposition parties to know that removing Ebubeagu will not make them win elections in Ebonyi.
“Election is by voter card and by talking to your supporters. Nothing will make Ebubeagu to jitter because there is a law backing the establishment,” he added.
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