Okija: Ngige Should Resign, Says Senator Abana
From Kola Ologbondiyan and Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Senate Committee on Special Duties chairman, Senator Ikechukwu G. Abana (PDP, Anambra), at the weekend challenged Governor Chris Ngige to resign for failing to report the atrocities committed by the Okija shrine priests to the police.
He also charged the police to prosecute the faces behind the names recorded in the registers in order to expose them before the public.
The police had following a tip off raided Okija shrines in Anambra State where it found over 50 corpses and 20 skulls.
Abana, who was named by Hon. Chuma Nzeribe as being in the car that drove Ngige to the shrine where the governor took an oath, told newsmen at an interactive session at the weekend that "it's left for Ngige to name those that went with him to the shrine since he has earlier admitted he was at the shrine.
"I, for one, did not go to the shrine with Ngige or any other person," he said.
Abana, "I can't remember the exact day but I went to (Chief Chris) Uba's guest house in Awka (Anambra State) and I met some members of our group which then included Ngige himself, who as at that time was a member of the group.
"Then there was argument on Ngige's loyalty and continued suspicion and he (Ngige) was worried and he expressed his readiness to go to anywhere to take oath to convince the group if the ones he had taken was not enough.
"I'm aware that before then, Ngige had taken oath in the presence of a Bishop and priest and had also signed all manners of documents bothering on loyalty to the group. At the end of the deliberations and argument, Ngige offered to take oath in a shrine since after taking oath on the bible in the presence of Bishop and priest and his loyalty was still subject of suspicion.
"He now went to the shrine and took an oath which he personally confirmed at the public hearing in the Senate and was carried by all the national newspapers. The issue of Ngige now saying he was taken to the shrine by force can not hold water because the same man at the Senate public hearing stated that before going to the shrine he went to his Bishop whom till date he has refused to name and the Bishop directed him to go with a Bible.
"If he was forced, how did he brief his Bishop before proceeding to the shrine? There was nothing compelling there, he offered to go to the shrine in order to prove his loyalty. I also want to further confirm that Ngige at various times in his quest for governorship resigned his position.
"As per the issue of shrine and discovery of the registers, I want to call on police to thoroughly investigate the matter and where possible, publicly expose all those involved. The police should also prosecute the names of the people on those lists.
"It's unfortunate that the governor of Anambra state, who openly admitted to have gone to the shrine to swear an oath of allegiance and even confirm that he went with bible on one hand and anointing oil in the other hand, know about all these atrocities being committed and never reported to the police.
If it was to be a civilised society and if Ngige is honourable, this is enough for him to quit office.
This is the first time an atrocity of such magnitude has happened to the knowledge of a governor because he has admitted to having been at the shrine.
"Ngige should use this opportunity to name the members of the shrine in which he belonged for the sake of posterity. When Ngige insisted on going to the shrine to further convince the group that he was loyal, I for one did not go to the shrine with Ngige.
"It's left for Ngige to name those that went with him to the shrine since he has earlier admitted he was at the shrine. I wish to completely dissociate myself from all that has been happening on the shrine matter and condemn those behind the dastardly act. I've never been a member of any shrine or cult," Abana submitted.
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis of the Concerned Indigenes of Anambra State has called on the Federal Government, police, and other security agents to commence a full-scale probe and investigation of the discoveries at the Okija shrines.
The group in a statement signed by its spokesman, Chukwuemeka Anyasi, objected to the planned take over of the Okija shrines by the Anambra State government, describing it as "a cover up."
The group urged the Federal Government and the Police not to allow the Anambra State Government "acquire the Ogwugwu shrine at Okija at this crucial moment in the nation's history.
"We demand a thorough, unbiased and sincere probe of the dastardly activities at the shrine. No diversionary plans over new use of the shrine should be allowed to becloud the on going investigation," the group added.
In particular, the concerned Anambra indigenes want "a comprehensive probe of the eight registers, which were recovered from the shrine with a view to exposing the present patrons," adding, "All those names in the register, irrespective of status, must be exposed and allowed to face justice."
The group views the attempt by the Anambra State Government to take over the shrine as "an attempt to cover up the on-going revelations from the shrine where the governor of Anambra state has been implicated by Hon. Chuma Nzeribe as a patron. When the whole nation is eager to hear the truth about the gory activities at the shrine, the Anambra State governor chose a clever option."
The Anambra State Government had last week expressed an interest in acquiring the land hosting the Ogwugwu shrine as a tourist site.
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