An alleged case of abduction was on Friday night recorded in Amaedim Ngwogwo Community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, in connection with land dispute.
The victim, Orji Ogbonna, was said to have been whisked away by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, with his face allegedly masked as those within the area of the incident were left in a state of apprehension.
Orji, a hamlet chairman and businessman, was whisked away in a suspicious manner by a team of NSCDC officials led by one Innocent Igwe, alias Iwuchukwu, on Friday evening, around 7.30 pm at his shop in Amaedim Ngwogwo Ishiagu, Ivo LGA.
DAILY POST learnt that the victim may still be in the custody of NSCDC Headquarters in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The victim’s wife, Onyekachi Orji, who is said to be nine months pregnant and about to deliver, broke down in tears as she narrated her ordeal over the arrest of her husband.
She called on the Commandant-General of NSCDC to call the State Commandant to order, for indulging in acts capable of causing civil unrest.
She further urged the Commandant-General to as a matter of urgency invoke his powers of discipline on the said Innocent Igwe, for taking advantage of his position as a member of Civil Defence Corps to unlawfully abduct a citizen without any lawful reason.
“I was surprised about what happened. My husband was just whisked away yesterday. I think the people that did it are Civil Defence people. They masked him, put him in their vehicle and drove off.
“The abduction of my husband has been causing me inexplicable pains and anxiety. No harm should happen to him at all. I am close to my delivery date and he is supposed to go with me to the hospital,” the victim’s wife said.
Speaking with DAILY POST, the said leader of the team, Innocent Igwe, explained that the suspect was arrested because of his alleged role in obstructing the decision of the community as it concerns the sharing modalities of the land under dispute.
Igwe, who confirmed the arrest, noted that the victim was taken to the headquarters of NSCDC in Abakaliki for questioning over land matters affecting his community.
He debunked the claim that the incident involving Orji Ogbonna was a case of abduction, saying that the suspect was arrested because he also challenged the government’s White Paper on the matter.
According to him: “Orji Ogbonna was arrested by Civil Defence operatives of which I was in their company. The suspect was arrested because he refused to follow government’s directive on the resolution of the land matters affecting my community.
“We wanted him to know that government was in charge as there’s a White Paper on that matter. He was asking which government and government has arrested him. This is the outcome of the directive of the Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution.”
Meanwhile, DAlLY POST findings revealed that the Commissioner for Border, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mr Ilang Donatus, never ordered the arrest of Orji Ogbonna by NSCDC and that no White Paper on the said land dispute emanated from him or his office.
A government White Paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them.
Contacted through a text message about the incident, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Willie Bassey said: “Good afternoon my brother. You can come to the office and get the full update. A report was about the suspect and his arrest was effected and investigation is ongoing.”
Earlier, the IPO handling the matter, Mr Ilo Chinweuba, explained that he lacked the capacity to brief journalists on the matter even as he added that the State Commandant was in a better position to talk on the case.
Also contacted, the Ivo Divisional Officer in charge of NSCDC refused to comment on the matter as she only acknowledged her position and disconnected the call.
