Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has suspended the operations of the Ebubeagu security team, in deference to a ruling by the Federal High Court, which declared the security team illegal.
Instead, Mr. Umahi announced the creation of two new surveillance teams: the Ebonyi Neighborhood Watch and the Ebonyi Vigilante Corps.
A Federal High Court in Abakaliki recently disbanded the Ebubeagu security team, after ruling that its existence and operations in Ebonyi state were illegal.
Ebubeagu has allegedly been involved in illegal detention, torture and extrajudicial killings.
He Ebony State Government through the Information Commissioner, Uchenna Orji, said he would appeal the court ruling.
“Ebubeagu’s security team will not work in the state until the stay of execution is granted and the appeal is filed.
“This is in obedience to the rule of law; and whether it is good or bad for our people, it is the judgment of the court,” Umahi said Friday at an expanded security meeting in the state.
The governor recalled that a ruling by a court of equal jurisdiction a month ago prohibited dissolving the Ebubeagu security team.
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“That means that I have two sentences on the same subject, so the second one should not have been admitted by previous decision.
“I could have chosen which one to obey if I were not a lover of the judiciary, but I have chosen to obey the latter.
“When the stay of execution is granted, Ebubeagu will be back in business,” the governor said.
He thanked the Ebonyi House of Assembly for passing the law establishing the two vigilante groups which he said the proceedings began in 2021.
“When Ebubeagu returns, everyone must not infringe on the rights of citizens.
“None of them would be involved in the next general election and the public should take notice,” the governor said.
Mr. Umahi called on the political parties in the state to carry out their activities with decorum and not heat up politics as the elections approach.
(YAYA)