Some individuals have held a protest seeking the whereabouts of Hon Linus Abba Okorie, the Labour Party
candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone.
Also, youths in Onuafor Enuagu Onicha Igboeze, where the lawmaker hails from on Monday morning blocked all roads in the area to protest the alleged kidnap.
Mr Okorie was reportedly abducted on Sunday while driving to his residence in Abakaliki.
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A statement by Dr David Ogbonna on behalf of Okorie’s Caring Heart Campaign Organisation explained that the abductors were suspected to be men of the Ebubeagu Security outfit.
It read:
“The available information confirms that he had been severely tortured to a near-death situation, made naked and pictures of him taken by his abductors.
“The information available at this moment confirms that their motive is to torture him to death and dump his body at Ebonyi river.
“A professional tracking done on his lines revealed ‘Okoja Road, near Police Headquarters,’ as his current location. The second line showed ‘Ebun-Nwana, Edda’.
“It is also alleged that from tomorrow, and days ahead, all Hon Linus’s boys and supporters will be hunted down and made to face a similar fate.
“We call on the security agencies to swing into action and unravel this situation, get Hon. Linus out and alive from his abductors and bring the perpetrators of this evil to face the wrath of the law.
“We, employ our supporters, CaringHeart members, and friends of Hon. Linus not to give into unlawful acts but allow the security men do their professional jobs.”
Also, a source held that the phone lines rang when called, but was unreachable thereafter.
The source said:
“Later, they switched it off. And since then it has remained switched off.”
It was yet to verify Ebubeagu’s involvement in the said abduction as alleged by Mr Ogbonna.
Efforts to speak with the Security Consultant to Ebonyi State government, Stanley Okoro Emegha, who is in charge of Ebubeagu in the state were unsuccessful as his phone lines were switched off.
However, the Sector Commander of Ebubeagu, Mr Friday Ujor, debunked the allegation.
He said:
“There is nothing concerning Ebubeagu with that information. I have asked the people sending this where it happened, maybe he has fallen into the hands of kidnappers and they are calling Ebubeagu.
“How can someone say that his phone is reading Ebunwana in Afikpo and Abakaliki at the same time? This is a clear case of you wanting to kill a dog and you give it a bad name to suit what you want.”
The Onicha Council Chairman, Chidiebere Uzor, denied having a hand in the alleged kidnap.
A statement by Sly Ogbu, president, Concerned Onicha Igboeze Youth forum, on Monday, called on the commissioner of Police to help rescue the missing lawmaker.
It read:
“We want to inform the world that our benefactor, two times House of Reps member that represented Ohanivo in the house of Reps and the Labour party Ebonyi south Senatorial candidate, Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie is missing. He has been missing since yesterday morning. As of the time of this report, we are yet to see, hear or contact him.
“We have however made official reports to the Police authority, who have promised to help secure the lawmaker alive. According to him, the NDLEA boss has denied having any Linus Abaa Okorie in his custody.”
Meanwhile, in a contradicting development, the Ebonyi Police Command confirmed that Okorie was arrested for drug related allegations and other issues.
SP Chris Anyanwun, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in a statement released on Monday, noted that Okorie was arrested and not abducted.
Okorie is contesting for the Ebonyi south Senatorial seat with Governor Dave Umahi, among others as fellow contestants.
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