The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has announced the suspension of all civil servants from Effium community in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state over the lingering crisis in the area, which led to the abduction of five construction workers.

The governor announced this on Tuesday in Abakaliki during a security summit, organised by the founding fathers of the state and Christian Association of Nigeria, among others.

According to Umahi, though the perpetrators of the killings and destruction in the area were majorly funded from outside, some stakeholders of in area also fund the killings.

Umahi also announced the removal of the coordinators of the two development centres in the area.

He said, “The coordinators of the two development centres from the area are hereby removed from office while salaries of permanent secretaries from the area are suspended.”

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He also said he would approach the State House of Assembly for the way forward on the chairman of the council and the two House of Assembly members from the area.

He said the government could “no longer watch them receive salaries, which go into sponsoring killings and destruction of property in the area.”

The governor added, “Recently, five construction workers on the state’s ring road project, which passes through the area were killed by unknown people and these victims, who knew nothing about the crisis, were here to help the state.

“The suspects arrested over the incident confessed that the workers have been killed and buried and the government is pacifying the affected families, who sought to know the location of where they were buried.

“The hoodlums ambushed the security team, who went to the area and officers have been reported killed or missing.”

South-East Zonal Chaiman of CAN, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, urged stakeholders in the state to check the effects of hard drugs, especially ‘Mkprummiri,’ on the youths due to its negative effects.