The people of Ovumnte community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi state have reported an alleged act of assault and attempted kidnap of one of their members, Mr. Friday Ovia by some hired hoodlums.
According to a community source, the incident which happened at about 8:30 in the morning of Sunday, 27th September, saw the victim severely assaulted by six men who attempted to kidnap and whisk him away in an ash-coloured Toyota Camry car.
The source further disclosed that “the assault took place at Amata, Ishiagu, in Ivo Local Government Area. Mr. Friday Ovia’s account which was confirmed by eyewitness reports disclose that he was trailed by three men on a Qulink motorcycle who accosted and assaulted him while the ash colored Toyota Camry car approached and three more men who were armed with guns joined in the assault.
“They attempted to force Mr. Friday Ovia into the ash-colored Toyota Camry car after inflicting grave wounds on parts of his body. Eyewitnesses, including villagers and bike men who observed the incident shouted for help which apparently made the kidnappers to flee.”
Lawyer to members of the community, Mr. Ogbonna Paul Arochukwu, in a statement, noted that “Mr. Ovia is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by members of the Ovumnte community at the Ebonyi State High Court (Suit No: HSK/6/2020) against Chief Pius Anyim and Mr. Chinedu Nicholas Makwe (a Pharmacist and Director with the National Health Insurance Scheme) for acts of land grabbing and malicious destruction of properties in Ovumnte land.”
He added that “Mr. Ovia was also one of the witnesses that saw Mr. Chinedu Nicholas Makwe physically assault Mrs. Orji on the 12th June, 2020 at her husband’s farm in Ovumnte, Ishiagu.
“Following Mr. Ovia’s testimony of the assault incident before the police, he has been receiving several threats to recant his testimony. On the morning of 16 June, 2020, Mr. Ovia was arrested by the DPO of the Ivo Divisional Police Command on a trumped up charge after a black nylon bag was placed infront of his house.
“He was later transferred by the DPO to the detention cells of the anti-robbery unit and later the anti-kidnapping unit of the Ebonyi state police command at Abakaliki. He later regained his freedom after spending several days in detention.”
Mr Arochukwu also noted that the Ovumnte community had earlier petitioned the Ebonyi state commissioner of police over the said acts of land grabbing.
Consequently, the people of Ovumnte community called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to, as a matter of urgency, protect their lives and properties and promptly investigate the attempted kidnap of Mr. Ovia with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
