By Joy Omagha Idam
In a bid to restore lasting peace between Amasiri, Ekumaubaghala and Edda Communities in Afikpo North and Afikpo South Local Government Areas, the Governor of Ebonyi state, Engr. Dave Umahi has set up a 12 Man Committee to find out the remote and immediate causes of clashes between them.
The committee which has the Ezeogo, Idam Bassey Onya, the Ubaghala III of Amasiri, and Dr Mike Okoro of Edda as co-chairmen, has ten members, five each from both sides of community .
The Governor promised to provide necessary logistics support to the committee to enable it discharge its task.
A statement by Special Assistant
(Media & Strategy) Chooks Oko stated that the Committee has 7 days to turn in it’s report.
The committee members as contained in the Press Release signed by Chooks Okoh, Special Assistant, Media & Strategy, includes; Joseph Uche Akpu, Bishop Ken Oko Daniel, Uche Onyia, Omezue Oko Oyari, Ndukwe Obiahu (Amasiri) Hon Eze Ama Okoro, Gibson Nnachi Eche, Sunday Kalu, Dickson Udu, Patrick Anya(Oso).
”The Committee is to go to the land Oso, study the issues and advise the State Government on possible everlasting solutions to the matter.” The governor assured the committee of ” immediate and adequate funding, but warned that on no account should any security agent be attacked or molested as theirs is selfless service to ensure peace”in the waring communities.
Relative peace have returned to the communities of Ndukwe, Okporojo and Oso in Amasiri, Afikpo North Local Government Area and Edda, in Afikpo South Local Government Area both in Ebonyi state following vigorous efforts of Governor Dave Umahi to that effect.
Addressing selected leaders of both local governments in Uburu, Saturday, 11th February, 2023, the governor emphasized the “pricelessness of peace above all other human pursuits“.
“You have been living as brothers and enjoying the closeness of each other. Why would you allow land to be the source of this level of quarrel? Land is important, we know but a wealthy person can buy enough land to contain a community if money is there, why make it an issue to the point of wasting human life and killing innocent people who might not even know why they were killed? These will certainly bring curses to both the land and the perpetrators.”
Continuing, the Governor noted that “the mistake people make about war is thinking that it is local. You both have prominent sons and daughters living across the world. If war is encouraged, it could degenerate to individual and isolated killings of those your children who do not even know what you are fighting for.”
Agreeing with the governor, Ezeogo Idam Bassey Onya, the Ubaghala III of Amasiri, on behalf of the Amasiri leaders stressed the fact that “Amasiri lineages have relatives in Edda and vice versa meaning that the two sides are brothers and sisters. There is no family in Amasiri that does not have relatives in Edda showing that we are all interrelated. We have always lived in peace and will not allow anything to shake it”.
Speaking for the Edda leaders, Dr. Mike Okoro (Vote for Jesus) noted that ‘the relationship between Amasiri and Edda predates creation and has always been brotherly. We can not allow anything to spoil it now. We have decided to keep living in peace and ensure that nothing shakes us” he noted.
While commending the efforts of the Chairmen of both local governments, the governor tasked them to immediately, within forty eight hours, convoke a peace-making ceremony to consolidate the peace accord so far reached.
The ten representatives from both Ndukwe and Oso later signed an undertaking of peaceful coexistence.
The meeting was attended by the State Director of the DSS, the Army Cantonment Commander, Deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of Operations and Administration and Commandant of the Army Female Corps.
However, at the time of filling this report nine Amasiri people held hostage by the Edda people were yet to be released 9:50PM Nigerian time, Saturday, February 11th 2023. Even as four Edda people Amasiri took hostage have since been released and returned to their houses.
“We call on the Governor of Ebonyi state to urge the Chairman Afikpo South LGC to do as his Afikpo North Counterpart did to square things up. God Bless you”.