By Kenneth Onuoha
365Daily – Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has approved the sum of forty million naira to cushion the effects of losses incurred by the people of Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo in Ohaukwu and Egedegede Ishielu Local Government Areas of the state.
The communities were attacked last week by suspected people from the neighbouring Agila area in Benue State over an age long land dispute.
Umahi assured another community, Effium, in Ohaukwu Local government area of the state who were engulfed in a communal clash recently that the government will come to their assistance.
The Governor conveyed the condolence of his administration when he embarked on a visit to the area to personally ascertain the level of carnages during the incident.
While expressing sadness over the attack, he observed that the precarious situation in the country calls for internal protection against external aggression.
“I felt so sad when I heard of this. My spirit went down so low, how life no longer means much in our country again. It is so sad that people will be sleeping in their houses and others will come and kill them for what they know nothing about.
“Our security outfit is already in place. I directed a lot of them to be posted to this place, all that is remaining in Ebubeagu is for us to launch it at the zonal level and to have our security gadgets there.
“Everybody will be protected when we make up our minds to protect ourselves. I have done everything possible for Agila people to live peacefully with us even when I was the Deputy Governor, every time they will be the one to attack us.”
He announced the donation of the sum of twenty million naira to the community to assist families of those who lost their lives in the incident and maintained that the government would not fold its hands and watch the citizens being killed wantonly by bandits.
The Governo, also directed the formation of a vigilante outfit in Egedegede, which was recently attacked by herdsmen, and also approved the sum of twenty million naira to the community as a consolation to families of victims of the attack.
“We have a law in South-East and in Ebonyi State in particular that there will not be movement of cattle from one point to the other. I am going to support you to immediately form a formidable vigilante and I want it to be people-oriented”.
The Governor while reiterating that the South East and Ebonyi State have banned open grazing in the area, charged Council Chairmen to enforce the grazing law in their areas using the local vigilantes.
“If anybody is trying to destroy our crops, you must stop him with a proportionate means upon which he is trying to destroy the crops. If somebody is killing cows of herdsmen you must stop him with a proportionate means upon which he is killing the cows and no herdsmen with AK-47 is allowed in the land of Ebonyi.
”Mr. President has said it and I am saying it also, such people must be demobilised by all means, you can’t carry AK-47 to our land, it is an affront. If is an insult and it is not allowed, we must stop them, enough is enough.”
Earlier, while presenting an address on behalf of the community, Senator Anthony Agbo said twelve lives were lost while fifty-six houses were burnt by the attackers and appealed for financial and humanitarian assistance from the government to enable them to resettle.
In a related development, Governor David Umahi has called on the people of Effium and Ezza Effium to call a truce and embrace peace to enable government assist them to resettle.
The Governor made the call when he visited the troubled area on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
He informed the natives that their leaders have agreed to a ceasefire and appealed to them to recall their warriors from the bushes.
“We came to inform our fathers and mothers that we have discussed with your leaders in Abakaliki and they have agreed that there will be peace in Effium and they have agreed to recall your warriors from the bushes.
“So we appeal to you to embrace peace, we have relief materials for you but we cannot give you if the war persists. If you embrace peace, we will come and assist you and the Federal Government will also come and assist you.”
Umahi warned that government would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute all stakeholders in the event of further breakdown of law and order in the area.
He also enjoined women to discourage further bloodletting in order not to impose a curse on their future generations.
The Governor was accompanied on the visits by heads of security agencies, members of the State Executive Council, among others.