A Southeast group under the auspices of the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has told the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Akali Baba, to disband the Southeast security outfit, Ebubeagu, and probe the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Garba Aliyu within the next 48 hours

The group said their request was necessary following the growing insecurity in the state caused by the activities of the vigilante group.

It also said that the CP has abandoned his core duty of enforcement of laws and protection of lives and properties; to “making himself a willing tool in the hands of the state government.”

AEISCID said that due to this, many Ebonyians have lost their lives in the process while the majority of the operations and activities of Ebubeagu and the CP go unreported in sections of the media.

The president of the association, Amb. Paschal Oluchukwu, revealed that his group has “read and uncovered the truth that no single day passes in Ebonyi state without a case of one abduction of a perceived opponent to Umahi’s administration or the other by the said Ebubeagu militia and this is often followed by a terribly vicious torture of their victims at the old Government House, Abakaliki directly opposite the State Police Command Headquarters.”

It asked the police authorities to deploy “a very professional, incorrupt, competent and unbiased CP who will not be easily compromised to dance to the naked and desperate dictates of Governor Umahi, adding that the new Police Boss “must have records of self-discipline and integrity, not one being tried for corrupt practices.”

“We demand immediately redeploying CP Garba and also constituting a Committee to probe these very weighty allegations that have been levelled against an officer of the law who shouldn’t be above the law! The Police authorities must show cause by disciplining him and his equal accomplice top officers in the State Command to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We give the IGP 48 hours to disband Ebubeagu and set up a tactical squad to comb the old Government House Abakaliki which has since become a crime zone for the Ebubeagu militia and rescue those trapped inside the dungeon. All arms illegally acquired by the group and in their possession should also be retrieved immediately.

“The Nigerian Police authorities should also constitute a public probe panel of enquiry for citizens who have been victims of Ebubeagu torture to lodge their petitions and complaints for immediate treatment of same just like during the EndSARS protest.

“Bring to book all its officers and men of the Ebubeagu Security Network who are found wanting in one way or the other based on the petitions and allegations levelled against its men and officers of Ebubeagu,” he said.

For the IGP, AESICID concludes that there was no time better than now, stating that the time for "very urgent action, therefore, is now because we fear that anarchy looms in our beloved State if these alarms are not followed with corresponding actions,” the state emphasized.

It, however, pointed out that Ebubeagu has no place in Nigeria’s law and democracy going by the extant provisions of Sections 4 and 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria respectively. The statement further said that the constitution provides that only the National Assembly shall have powers to legislate on matters of security of a state under the Nigerian federation and further made an Act creating the Nigeria Police Force as the only security outfit recognized by law.

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