The people of Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area have suffered and continue to suffer terribly in the current democratic dispensation because of the existence of a deadly mafia organisation deployed by some self-proclaimed leaders to terrorize the area. The time to alert the Nigerian public and the human rights community about the atrocities of these pocket-sized Idi-Amins and mid-night Nebuchadnezzars has come. The activities of these terrorists represent the chauvinism scripted by the Egyptian Pharoah who preferred to perish in his wickedness rather than allow the Israelites regain their freedom.

People are killed at will, women are raped, youths are beaten with Koboko horse-whips while elders are kidnapped easily or sometimes abducted to unknown destinations, where the miscreants negotiate with relatives of the victims for payment of ransom, ranging from N500, 000 to N2million. Most times, they are willing to reduce the ransom to something as low as N50, 000 depending on the state of their desperation to cure the tyranny of hunger. As at the last count, over nine persons have been killed in the past four years. These terrorists are neither faceless nor unknown. People fear them but much less than they fear their masters and sponsors. At the forefront of these nefarious activities is a band of evil youths, known as “More-Can-Be-Done”.

Critics said this group is the brain-child of the chairman of a local government chairman, who is a well-known graduate of the “Koboko School of Violence” in Ebonyi State. The council boss is one of the ‘life Executive Chairmen’ of the 13 local governments in the state, who have been granted the license to whip people with Koboko. Sometimes they behave as if they can order vigilante watchmen in the country- side to shoot people at sight with ‘dane- guns’. These groups of privileged chairmen have been in office since 2015 when the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi, appointed them Care-taker bosses and if not for this COVID-19 lockdown, they would have had their elections conducted to re-elect them willy-nilly. After all, Umahi had already decided they must all be re-elected ‘for life’.

Remember that Umahi was recently in the news. He threatened some radical journalists in Ebonyi State of “banishment for life” and warned them to perish the idea that the pen is mightier than the sword. Umahi said that such philosophical outpourings should be considered as anachronistic verbiage. When people are caned with Koboko, then they shall utter the plain truth unconsciously. And so this particular council boss, the apostle of koboko, is one of Umahi’s favourites. It is alleged that he knows how to bloody people’s nose and nothing comes out of it. As the governor has taught everybody in the state, “it is not every matter that should go to court or even disturb the police”. Even the police are afraid sometimes to stand firm on issues involving these ‘More-Can-Be-Done’ people because they can do and undo. Cases are frequently reported but not much is heard about them thereafter.

Some beleaguered indigenes of Edda clan, for example, have learnt to always lie low in order to stay safe. Many in Edda have however not been that lucky. For example, on 27th March, 2020, some blood thirsty elements vanquished an innocent young man of 19 years of age, Chidi Arua Oji from Nguzu Edda. He was said to have been killed in front of his family house. May be he was not their target but who can tell? Villagers reported that some families brought home corpses to bury on that fateful day, being the last weekend of the month. But the COVID-19 Local Government Committee, set up by the Council authorities entered the community to enforce the no-burial policy of the state government. There were altercations and one of the COVID-19 chaps was rough-handled by angry villagers. At that point, the chap in question, an aide to the local government chairman, rushed back to re-inforce. The next thing that happened was the invasion of Nguzu Edda, allegedly by the More-Can-Be-Done rough-necks. And then gun-shots were heard and behold young Chidi was gone. Right now, three opinions are being canvassed as to the cause of the death of the unfortunate youth.

While the National Human Rights Commission accused the Ebonyi State COVID-19 Task-Force of being responsible for the death of the boy, Ebonyi State Government, through its Commissioner for Information, Mr. Uchenna Oji, blamed the murder on the inter- communal feud between Nguzu and Ekoli Edda. However, the Council Chairman, Mr. Eni Uduma Chima, said the victim was an armed robber who met his water-loo while trying to rob his kith and kin. Many said the Council boss is being economical with the truth.

For the first time, Chima is seen to be disagreeing with the state government on such a sensitive matter. Now Edda people have called on Umahi to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the death of Chidi Arua Oji and indeed other deaths in Edda clan allegedly associated with the “More-Can-Be-Done -Squad. The more recent killing of another young man, Onu Chima Ukpai from Asaga Owutu Edda, during a clash between More-Can-Be-Done group and Owutu Edda Youths on Sunday, 3rd May, 2020 should equally be included as part of the terms of reference of the suggested panel of inquiry. There is also the case of Tuesday, 5th May, 2020, when another boy, Chinedu Offor Ufere, who was wounded on Sunday, died. Then again, on Wednesday, 6th May, 2020, the elder brother of the boy killed on Sunday (one Jarun) shot and killed another boy, Raphael Okereke. All the three boys were killed in Asaga owutu Edda.

Already, the Local Government Chairman, Mr. Chima and a member of the State House of Assembly, representing Afikpo South East Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Ejem, were arrested by the police on Monday, 4th May, 2020. The matter should be thoroughly investigated as a primary step to restore order and stop further killings in Edda clan.

The number of the affected victims of the More-Can-Be-Done gang in recent times and the circumstances upon which they were attacked, raped, robbed or beaten mercilessly with Koboko are as follows: The motor-cycle of one Nnachi Oji (Ogwuma Edda) was snatched from him at gun-point by one Abuchi Chima Mark (aka O/C Torture) and the said motor-cycle is yet to be released to the owner. There was a case involving two women from Ekoli Edda, Nnenna Elijah and Joy Okorafor. They were operating canteens at Ekoli Motor Park. The two women had their shops burnt down by More-Can-Be-Done in 2019 and were subsequently sent packing. They fled into exile for their dear lives.

There was also the case of Mrs. Ola Enworo (Ekoli Edda), who was stripped naked and beaten up. Her offence was that she was wearing clothes that were considered offensive to the More Can-Be-Done group. Her clothes were forcefully removed from her body and burnt instantly while she went home naked; Ezinne Sumudu Nkuma Okpani (Ekoli Edda) was raped for being faithful only to her husband and the leader of the group merely cautioned the culprit to be of good behavior. Others include: Chukwu Kama (Ebunwana Edda, who was attacked and beaten up. His phones, money and other valuables were stolen because he was wearing clothes considered offensive to the group; Vincent Udu Irem (Libolo Edda), was beaten to a state of pulp and allowed to remain unconscious. He was charged with giving evidence in court against one Egwu Nnachi Oji, a robbery suspect, who allegedly stole electric generating set belonging to Libolo Edda Comprehensive Secondary School. And then the case of Chukwudi Okorafor (Letu Edda), who was attacked and robbed of his valuables, including money, for wearing cap considered offensive to the group.

The situation has become so bad now that Edda indigenes who go to Ebem Ohafia Motor Park in the neighbouring Abia State are molested and threatened with arrest because of the nefarious activities of the More-Can-Be-Done group. Members of the group recently attacked an Ohafia-based commercial motor driver, Mr. Idika Chinemerem Anya, allegedly robbed and vandalized his vehicle. Since then every commuter from Edda extraction at Ohafia became a suspect. (The Nation)

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