The governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, must be happy with himself after telling his security details to shoot at anyone who blocks the road whenever his convoy is passing.
The governor who is the chief security officer of his state, voted by the people to use the resources of the state to protect them, said that it does not matter if such gunshot results to death because it is still within the law.
Mr Umahi gave this order on Saturday while narrating how his convoy was blocked the previous night by mourners at a wake-keep in the state.
The governor’s convoy was reportedly blocked along Onicha Road in Onicha Local Government Area of the State on his way back to the state capital from his Uburu, Ohaozara hometown Friday night.
The roadblock was said to have been mounted by a group of people observing a wake-keep sequel to a burial ceremony in the area.
While receiving some guests at the State Executive Chambers in Abakaliki on Saturday, the governor expressed his fury over the incident, saying it is a criminal breach of the law.
According to him: “Yesterday night, I was coming back by 12 midnight. Of course, I had to stop over at the college to inspect projects, but when we got to Onicha, they blocked the road.
“Even with the litany of the army and the police and everything, they did not even want to open the road. Then I said they should arrest all of them, but most of them ran away. I think they even took a gun of an army officer.”
Mr Umahi said those who ran away would still be arrested and imprisoned.
“But I say, all of them will go to prison. So they have to identify them, bring them here and we will prosecute them to show an example,” he said.
To forestall anyone from blocking his convoy in the future, even if like the mourners, they are not armed, Mr Umahi said such persons should be shot.
“Next time the ADC should order for a shoot. It is very illegal to block the governor. And if anybody is killed in the course of that, it is allowed in the law.
“And it is not me that is the problem, it is the common man, nobody should be oppressed…,” the governor said.
The governor had earlier announced a ban on wake-keep extending beyond 10 p.m. in the state.
The Governor, who announced the ban, also ordered the immediate arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of all those involved in the recent roadblock against his convoy.
