Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru has described the banishment against former chairman of Edda Local Government Area, Dr. Eni Uduma Chima and his younger brother, Uduma Chima by the town union of the community as null and void.

The Governor said the action of the town union  against the two brothers, negates the principles  of the federal republic of Nigeria.

The community, known for its volatility because of series of crises arising from power tussle by political gladiators in the area, have been witnessing killings,  maiming and destruction of properties worth millions of naira for the past two months.

The latest killing occurred last Wednesday when a member of the community, Udu Nnachi Uzor was murdered by gunmen in his house, leaving  wife, Onyinye who is nursing a two month old baby and three other children behind.

The widow alleged a member of a political group in the area known as catcham boys, killed her husband and called for the arrest of the man who she gave his name as Deri.

Before the killing of Uzor, the town union of the community and some stakeholders of the area pronounced the former chairman of the local government, Eni and his younger brother, Uduma banished for seven years.

They  also announced that the duo will pay N106million as fine when they return from the banishment after the seven years.

The banishment escalated the tension in the community.

Nwifuru, who was visibly angry over the crisis, summoned the warring groups to his office on Friday to find lasting solution to the crisis.

The Governor declared the banishment of Eni and his younger brother was null and void and that it felt short of the constitution of Nigeria.

“We  disagree on the banishment, we dis- agreed on one condition, that this banishment cannot hold because this banishment negates  the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and because of that it cannot stand,” he said.

He warned that no civilian in the community no matter the status should bear arms and disbanded all the warring groups known as catcham boys, trigger-happy boys and amnesty boys in the area.

” No civilian, no matter who that person is, whether it’s catcham boys, whether it’s trigger-happy boys, whether it’s amnesty boys, anyone found with any ammunition or arms should be dealt with according to the rule of law. 

“Two,  Eni  requested that his MAC-Truck diverted to unknown destination,  should be returned to him.  The community should provide his MAC-Truck and return it to him,” he ordered.

Nwifuru ordered all the warring groups to collapse their structures to the town union leadership and traditional ruler of the community.

He ordered the reactivation of Ekoli police post as recommended by Eni to  tackle security issues in the community head-long.