How Deputy Gov. Emetu Was Dragged Into Okon Crisis - Abia Govt Breaks Silence

The Abia State Government has forcefully dismissed allegations linking the Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, to the violent crisis that recently engulfed Okon village in Ohafia Local Government Area, describing the claims as false, reckless, and deliberately misleading.

In a strongly worded statement issued by the Office of the Deputy Governor, the government said attempts to associate Engr. Emetu with the communal violence were calculated acts of mischief, aimed at diverting attention from the real causes of the conflict and destabilising public trust.

According to the statement, the Deputy Governor is neither an indigene of Okon village nor connected to the community's internal leadership disputes, stressing that the ongoing crisis is rooted in a longstanding traditional leadership tussle that predates the current administration.

Government sources clarified that the selection of village heads (Ezieogo) in Ohafia is strictly governed by ancestral customs and traditional institutions, making it completely outside the constitutional responsibilities of the Deputy Governor or any political office holder.

The statement further revealed that the Ohafia Council of Monarchs, the highest traditional authority in the Ohafia Ancient Kingdom, has been actively intervening in the dispute and is currently managing the situation through established customary processes.

Despite this, tensions reportedly escalated, leading to the burning of residences and palaces, including those of HRM Benard Kama, Ezieogo of Okon, and HRH Eze Ndukwe Iko, the Nnaka IV of Okon Aku Autonomous Community-an action the Deputy Governor unequivocally condemned.

Contrary to allegations circulating online, the statement disclosed that Engr. Emetu swiftly intervened after receiving reports of the violence, ensuring that injured victims were evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, where they are currently receiving medical attention.

The government also confirmed that security agencies have since moved into the area and are working to identify and prosecute those responsible for the destruction of property, threats to lives, and breakdown of law and order.

The Deputy Governor's office warned that persistent attempts to link his name to the crisis are unacceptable, noting that such actions are clearly intended to sow discord, inflame passions, and undermine harmony within government and the state at large.

Reaffirming his stance, Engr. Emetu urged all parties involved in the Okon crisis to exercise restraint, embrace dialogue, and allow lawful and traditional mechanisms to resolve their differences in the interest of peace.