Gov. Nwifuru: Our aim is to achieve lasting peace in the area.
EBONYI state Governor Francis Nwifuru, has signed into law, a bill seeking the creation of new autonomous communities in Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, to end the much lingered communal crisis in the area.
Recall that the people of Effium and Ezza-Effium in the Ohaukwu council area have been at war since January 2021 with many lives lost and properties worth billions of Naira also destroyed.
Summitnews reports that the Ebonyi State House of Assembly recently passed a bill, seeking the creation of new autonomous communities in the troubled community.
Governor Nwifuru who signed the bill into law, early this week in Abakaliki, said the creation of the new communities, aims to broker lasting peace in the area.
He condemned the attitude of one of the warring parties that kicked against the creation of the new autonomous communities and warned that his administration will not allow any group or persons to sabotage the efforts of the state government, to broker peace in the area.
The governor alleged that some persons in the area have been benefitting from the war, adding that such people do not want the crisis to end.
His words: “there are some people that are benefiting from this crisis and you just wake up one day and say you want to stop their source of income.They have nothing much doing other than this crisis and they must show the people that are giving them the resources the reason this crisis must continue.”
Continuing, he said, “it is an incident caused by two individuals, who were struggling for control of market and revenues in the motor park at Effium market, and nobody knew that the case will turn out to be a very critical communal crisis the way it is now and it has consumed a lot of lives which no one ever wished. I am particularly excited that we have been able to champion the course of peace with dignity and respect for humanity. The case of Effium and former Ezza-Effium, is a very unfortunate incident.”
“The situation calls for concern when people paid supreme price for peace in their community and at the dying minutes, some individuals start raising issues that are unfounded. I want to send them a message and the message is that we are ready for any eventuality. If anyone thinks he is God, let the person dare us as a government. We will use every available means to bring peace to that land,” Governor Nwifuru emphasised.
