The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a motion stopping all forms of spiritual crusade by any church or self acclaimed healers or prophets of God aimed at community cleansing and fishing out witches and wizards.
The ban followed the outcome of the plenary at the Assembly’s complex on Thursday, July 11.
In a statement issued by the Assembly’s Public Relations Officer, Sylvester Egede, and made available to reporters, the deliberation came under matters of urgent public importance and was preceded by an earlier report on the interference with community peace and disruption of public activities which trailed the recent Christian crusade organised by Prophet Ubadimma in Izzi Council Area.
“The report has it that an undisclosed amount of money, four residential buildings, properties worth millions of naira and other valuable items belonging 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 the inciteful accusation of the victim by prophet Ubadimma and his cohort.
“He accused them of using wizard and witchcraft powers to tie the destinies of the community youths, hence, their inability to make meaningful progress despite their effort,” he stated.
The motion, sponsored by the member representing Izzi West state constituency, Godwin Abiri, said it took the timely intervention of Izzi Council chairman, Stephen Nwankpa, to save the ugly incident.
The lawmaker explained that such activities could destroy the prevailing existing peace in the state under Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The lawmaker also demanded immediate clampdown of such church programmes conducted without due clearance from the leadership of any community and security outfits to avoid a future occurrence or the resort to jungle justice by youths.
While urging his colleagues to support the motion, Abiri maintained that if the barbaric act is not controlled, Ebonyi communities may be thrown into crises.
The Leader of the House and member representing Afikpo North West, Kingsley Ikoro, seconded the motion, who also condemned the act in its entirety.
Citing the market cost of building houses in the present economic reality in the country, Ikoro seeks brotherliness rather than destruction of already existing structures.
He called for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators to serve as a deterrent for anyone thinking in that direction.
Also, the member representing Ebonyi North East, Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga, and Chikezie Nwankwo, who represents Ohaozara East, condemned the act, which they said did not help in moral upbringing and spirit of togetherness and called for the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act to account for the damages.
When the Speaker of the House, Moses Ije-Odunwa, put the motion to voice vote and the state lawmakers unanimously adopted it.
