By Gabriel Atumeyi

The Ebonyi State Police Command has asked the public to disregard reports of escalation of tension in the land dispute involving Enyigba and Enyibichiri communities in Ikwo and Abakaliki  Local Government Areas  of the state.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Loveth Odah, said on Friday, February 5, 2021, in Abakaliki  that the report was false and a figment of the imagination of rumour peddlers as the command had not received any official report in the regard.

Oda, however, stated that the new commissioner of police in the state, Aliyu Garba, had met with the chairmen of Ikwo, Abakaliki and Izzi local government areas where he harped on the need for peaceful existence among communities in the areas.

She said that the meeting was part of engagements by the police boss with leaders and stakeholders of communities experiencing any form of crisis and added that the police was determined to ensure that crisis did not erupt in any part of the stat.

Stressing that the command had beefed up security surveillance in all parts of the state., she added, “Well, I’m not aware of any crisis resulting in deaths from the Enyigba and Enyibichiri communities land dispute.

“But, what I  can tell you is that the Commissioner of Police met with  council chairmen from Ikwo, Abakaliki and Izzi during which he emphasised need for communities in the three LGAs to shun all forms of violence and to live in peace with one another.

“The chairmen were told to go and ensure that there is peace in their areas and that the police will not entertain any report of conflict in their various communities.

“After the meeting, we have not heard any report of escalation of tension or killings in these parts of the state, so, I can assure the public that there is relative calm and peace in the area,” Odah said

.(With NAN report)