The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Tuesday, suspended salaries of civil servants of Effium Community, in Ohaukwu Council of the state as a result of the security challenges facing the war-torn Community, which recently led to the killing of five construction workers in the area.
Umahi disclosed this during a security summit in Abakaliki which was organised by the founding fathers of the state and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), among others.
The governor 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.
Umahi said that though the perpetrators of the killings and destruction in the area were funded from outside, some stakeholders of the affected community within the state, also have a hand in funding such crime.
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.
Umahi said, “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.”
However, Reverend Father Abraham Nwali, South-East Zonal Chairman of CAN urged stakeholders to check the effects of hard drugs, especially ‘Mkprummiri’, on the youths due to its negative effects.
