Some prominent Chiefs, including the chairman of Egbe Council of chiefs, Chief Sunday Alabi and other community leaders from Yagba West have been arrested and detained at the Koton Karfe Prison on trumped-up charges of terrorism and conspiracy.
According to sources, their arrest and detention followed a peaceful protest held in Egbe over the activities of some renegade Chiefs.
The source disclosed that the renegade Chiefs had been fingered as behind the crisis in Egbe over the last four years, leading to the peaceful protest.
The protesters had denounced the activities of the Chiefs, who were said to have allegedly instituted over ten court cases against the Egbe Community.
The peaceful protest, carried out by over 5000 citizens of Egbe, was preceded by a letter informing the Police and other agencies of the planned protest.
The security agencies had also provided cover for the protesters and escorted them to ensure the protest was peaceful.
However, few days after the protest, some Chiefs, community leaders, and citizens of Egbe were invited to Lokoja by the Police.
But after taking their statements, they were asked to return home and live peacefully. In what prove to be mastermind of the State Government according to reliable source, the Chiefs and Community Leaders were invited back to Lokoja today Friday, charged before a Magistrate Court and ordered detained in Koton Karfe Prison till April 9.
The development has heightened tension in Egbe, with concerns that the State Government is behind the detention. Samuel Agbalagba described the detention as a deliberate action to divide the Egbe community, vowing that the people will use legal means to resist attempts to create rancor within the Community.
