The people of Ekpeye in Rivers state have defended their kinsman, Edison Ehie, who is the Chief of Staff to the stateGovernor Siminalayi Fubaraagainst the criminal allegations preferred on him by thepolice.

Despite conflicting court orders, the police had declared Ehie wanted after accusing him of masterminding the bombing of the hallowed chambers of the state House of Assembly and linking him to the brutal murder of the Ahoada Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP. Bako Angbasim.

But the kinsmen in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu raised the alarm that there was a concerted effort to kill their sons and Edison, using the instruments of government, and called for the President’s urgent intervention.

Reeling out the antecedent of Ehie, his kinsmen said the Chief of Staff was first elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly in 2015; reelected in 2019; emerged as the Deputy Speaker, and in 2023 reelected and became the Leader of the House.

The kinsmen said Ehie played pivotal roles in the election and re-election of Chief Nyesom Wike as the governor of Rivers and that Wike gave him an award of excellence as the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) because of his integrity.

They recalled that Wike was so pleased with Ehie that during the kick-off of the Ozochi Road project, he declared to the entire world that he would hand over power to youths like Ehie in Rivers State.

“Our son, Ehie, has no criminal records of murder, terrorism, attempted murder, conspiracy, and arson,” they said.

The kinsmen alleged that Ehie only became a villain for disagreeing with Wike on the impeachment of Governor Fubara.

They said: “This disagreement marked the beginning of the travails of Ehie. Ehie did not commit any crime or persons arrested, charged, and remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, not even the persons declared wanted by the police with him against a subsisting court order.

The kinsmen insisted that Ehie, who represented Ahoada East Constituency 2 could not be held responsible for the murder of the DPO, which occurred at Ahoada Constituency 1.

They said: “The murder of the DPO was carried out by a group of Icelander Cult group but the police authority is yet to apprehend his killers. Several arrests have been made and the police have concluded their investigations and submitted their report.

“75 persons are facing prosecution. It is worthy of note that both in the final police report and the charge sheet before the court, Ehie and the persons declared wanted with him were not mentioned in any way.

“This, to link Ehie to the murder is a misjudgment and it amounts to trivialising the death of a brilliant police officer who has given all his best to the society.”

The kinsmen urged President Tinubu to prevail on Wike and the Inspector-General of Police to drop “all the trump up charges” against Edison describing the matter as a pure case of victimisation and oppression.

The Ekpeye people thanked President Tinubu for his fatherly intervention to the crisis that engulfed the state and commended Governor Fubara for obeying the President by implementing the Peace Accord.

Addressing the President, they said: “We are confident that as someone, who has suffered prosecution for standing up for democracy, you are in a position to appreciate more adequately what our sons are going through.

“Ehie, Chime Ezebalike, Izu Kpasa, Happy Bennett, Adokiye Oyagiri and Progress Joseph are innocent of the crimes they are being accused of. Holding political views not similar to those in power should not be a crime.”

Over 33 leaders of Ekpeye Kingdom comprising former lawmakers, representatives of many communities, various groups, community leaders and traditional rulers signed the letter.(The Nation)