The warring Ogwor community in Ishiagu and the Umuobor community in Akaeze, all in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi have agreed to embrace peace and live peacefully as neighbours.
This is the high point of the outcome of a stakeholders security summit convened by Chief Emmanuel Aja, Chairman of Ivo Local Government Area on Tuesday at Isiaka, the council’s headquarters.
The chairman, who briefed journalists at Isiaka headquarters of Ivo LGA on Tuesday on the outcome of the security summit, noted that the meeting discussed a wide range of issues aimed at ensuring peace and security of the council.
He praised the efforts of the stakeholders including security agencies in ensuring that peace, order and security reigned in their respective areas.
Speaking on the age-long inter-boundary dispute between Ogwor and Umuobor in the Ishiagu and Akaeze communities, the chairman expressed joy that the two communities had resolved to bury the hatchet and embrace peace.
He noted that the conflict between the two communities which had resulted in the killings and destruction of property by the feuding parties affected peace and the security of the council, hence the need to bring a lasting solution to the problem.
According to the chairman, leaders and stakeholders of the two communities in their presentations agreed that it was time to allow for peace and ensure that they live as brothers and sisters.
Aja said that no meaningful development could be achieved in an environment where insecurity and restiveness were the order of the day.
The chairman added that the governor of the state, Chief Francis Nwifuru, desired that peace and security should prevail in all the communities.
He further commended the Development Centre Coordinators of Akaeze and Ivo Development Centres, Messrs Ikenna Aja and Chinasa Okorie, for being instrumental in the peace project.
He said: “To ensure that we achieve a lasting solution to the lingering crisis between our two communities, we invited the chairmen of the Ogwor community and his Umuobor counterpart who made submissions and showed us a pathway to peace which we are celebrating today.
“After hearing a few points from both chairmen and a few stakeholders from both sides, we urge that the current peace being witnessed should be sustained.
“As the chairman of the council, I request that the two development centre coordinators should work with other stakeholders in their respective areas to maintain cordial peace and harmony between the communities.
“Every community should cultivate their land as they did last year without interference from the other community.
“That if you paid land rent to someone in the previous farming seasons, you should continue the payment for peaceful reasons.
“That a committee shall be formed to create a lasting boundary to mitigate recurrence of fighting or disputes; any of the parties that shall go contrary to the resolution shall be made to face the full weight of the law.
“That the security challenges in the council can only be solved when we work together as a people with a common destiny and common resolve,” the chairman said. (NAN)
