Ebonyi Assembly Bans Spiritual Crusade Cleansing, Fishing Out Of Witches, Wizard in Communities
From Omaka OKOH (Abakaliki)
Worried by the spate of spiritual cleansing in the state, Ebonyi House of Assembly have banned all forms of spiritual crusade aimed at community cleansing, fishing out of witches and wizards by self-acclaimed prophets of God.
Ebonyi State House of Assembly in a motion moved by member representing Izzi West State Constituency, Chief Godwin Abiri, resolved that all crusade aimed at community Cleansing, Fishing out of witches and wizards in the state without due approval from security agents and community leadership are banned.
The ban which took place during the plenary of the State House of Assembly at the Legislative Complex Nkaliki Road Abakaliki was a result of earlier report on interference of community peace and disruption of public activities resulting from Christian Crusade organised by Prophet Ubadimma in Izzi LGA of the state.
According to the report, an undisclosed amount of money, four residential buildings, properties worth millions of Naira and other valuable items belongings to Chief John Ekpono and his three wives of Aghara-Oza village, Ndiebor Ezza Inyimagu in Izzi LGA of the state were completely destroyed by the youths of the community following accusation of the victim by prophet Ubadimma and his cohort.
Ubadimma had accused Chief John Ekpono and his three wives of using wizard and witch craft powers and tied the destinies of the community youths hence their inability to make meaningful progress despite their effort.
Speaking on the matter, the member representing Izzi West State Constituency, Chief Godwin Abiri, said it took the timely intervention of Izzi Council Chairman, Mr. Stephen Nwankpa to save the ugly incident, adding that such activities were capable of destroying the prevailing existing peace in the State under Governor Francis Nwifuru.
Abiri prayed for immediate clamp down of such church programmes without due clearance for the leadership of any community and security outfit to avoid future occurrence and jungle justice by youths of the State.
Contributing, the Leader of the House, Chief Kingsley Ikoro, who seconded the motion, condemned the act in its entirety, saying that the market cost of building houses in the present economic reality in the country calls for brotherliness rather than destruction of already existing structures and called for immediate arrest of the perpetrators to serve as deterrent for anyone thinking in that direction.
Other lawmaker including Chief Chinyere Nwogbaga and Mr. Chikezie Igu, representing Ebonyi North East and Ohaozara East State Constituencies respectively decried gullibility of the villagers and last day’s prophet of doom to who connive to wreak havoc to the ordinary residents of Ebonyi communities, commending the efforts of Izzi council chairman, Mr. Stephen Nwankpa, for his intervention in the affected area.
The vote for the adoption of the motion was unanimously endorsed by members of the Assembly.
