Ebonyi governor suspends salaries of civil servants over killings

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has suspended salaries of civil servants from Effium Community, in Ohaukwu Council of the state, over the lingering crisis in the area, which recently resulted in the abduction of five construction workers.

Umahi also announced the removal of the coordinators of two development centres in the area, adding that he will approach the State House of Assembly for a way forward on the chairman of the council and the two members of the House from the area.

He announced the suspension in Abakaliki during a security summit organised by the founding fathers of the state and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), among others.

The governor alleged that although perpetrators of the killings and destruction in the area were funded from outside the state, some stakeholders of the area also fund the violence.

He said the government could no longer afford to pay their salaries, which he said, was being used to sponsor killings and destruction of property in the area.

“Recently, unknown gunmen killed five construction workers on the state’s Ring Road project, which traverses the area. These workers know nothing about the crisis was here to help the state.

“The suspects arrested over the incident confessed that the workers were killed and buried and the government is pacifying the families, who sought to know the location of where the victims were buried,” he stated. “

South-East Zonal Chairman of CAN, Reverend Father Abraham Nwali, urged stakeholders to check the effects of hard drugs, especially ‘Mkprummiri’, on the youths due to its negative effects.