2023: Ebubeagu arrest APGA supporter for allegedly destroying APC campaign banner

Ebubeagu operatives have arrested a supporter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi State for allegedly destroying the campaign banners of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the state.

The arrested man has been identified as Amobi Ujar.

Ebubeagu, a security outfit, is backed by the Ebonyi State Government.

The Ebonyi State Commander of Ebubeagu, Friday Nnanna-Ujor, confirmed the arrest to reporters on Sunday in Abakaliki.

He said the suspect was arrested at Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi, carrying out the alleged act of vandalism.

Mr Nnanna-Ujor appealed to the public to disregard the information on the social media that the arrested man was framed up.

“He was not forced to confess, he was not attacked. He was arrested for committing a crime.

“Once we are done with our preliminary investigation, we will hand him over to the police for further investigation and arraignment,” Mr Nnanna-Ujor said.

“This is just to let you know that we are non-partisan and that we do our job without being biased.”

However, a relative of the arrested man, said Mr Ujar received a phone call from a supposedly Ebubeagu informant who lured him to the Amaehara village, in the Afikpo North, where he was arrested.

The relative, who asked that his name should not be mentioned in the report for fear of his safety, claimed the man was allegedly beaten to a coma by Ebubeagu operatives, who hung the campaign banner of Governor Umahi on his neck and “forced him to make a confessional statement” against himself and his party, APGA.

According to the relative, Mr Ujar, being an auto-technician, thought he was called to fix a faulty vehicle for some holidaymakers not knowing he was being lured.

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He accused some Ebubeagu operatives of being card-carrying members of the APC, and being responsible for the destruction of the campaign billboards of opposition candidates in the state.

“Ujar is just a victim of circumstance… If not for the presence of passersby, maybe they could have even killed him.

“He was beaten and forced to say he was working for the APGA to pull down all the campaign materials of APC candidates, in the area.

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“But, we know these are all lies. He didn’t do anything,” he said.

(NAN)