20th September, 2022
The police in Ebonyi state have arraigned Uche Awegbe, 40, for allegedly threatening to kill the governor of the state, David Umahi.
Awegbe who was said to have made the threat to Umahi via text messages sent to the Governor’s phone on August 19, 2022, was arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate Court.
Apart from the death threat, he was also accused by the Police of shooting two residents dead, unlawfully possessing guns, and causing communal crises in the state.
His case was marked MAB/ 634c/202.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Obi Eberechukwu told the court Awegbe sent the death threats on August 19, 2022, at Number 9, Umuoji street, Abakaliki.
He was also accused of promoting inter-communal war in Effuim community, Ohaukwu local government area in 2021 which led to the death of some residents.
The charge reads: “You, Uche Awegbe, on the 19th day of August 2022 at Number 9, Umuoji Street, Abakaliki, did threaten the life of Engr. David Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State by sending death threat message to him through your MTN phone number 09039946XXX thereby committed offence punishable under Section 12(1)(b) of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Law, Cap 55, Volume 2 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“You, Uche Awegbe, and others in charge numbers MAB/69c/2021,MAB/838c/ 2021 and MAB/891c/2021 on the 5th day of November 2021 at Effuim community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did go armed with guns and machetes in public without lawful occasion in such a manner as to cause terror and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 80 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Volume 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”