WARRING COMMUNITIES IN EBONYI SIGN PEACE PACT

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

Ebonyi State Government is to grant amnesty and de-radicalize armed fighters involved in Effium and Ezza Effium communal war.

This is in line with the provisions of a White Paper it issued on the crisis which has lingered since 2021.

The Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Ben Odo, announceded this after the signing of a Peace Pact between the two warring communities at the Government House Abakaliki.

Although a ceasefire agreement had been signed by the two warring communities last year, the signing of the Peace Pact Agreement was another milestone to commit Ezza Effium and Effium stakeholders to the implementation of a white paper issued by the government after receiving the report of a Peace Committee early this year.

Dr. Odo, who is the Chairman of the White Paper Implementation Committee, said with the signing of the Peace Pact, the state government would embark on the disarmament, de-radicalization and amnesty programmes for the fighters.

The President General of Effium Community, Professor James Agina, said his people welcomed the Peace Pact Agreement and urged the state government to be focused in its avowed commitment to implement the white paper holistically.

He, however, requested that Effium people in detention be released to enable them to participate in the peace processes being put in place.

However, some covenants in the Peace Pact appeared to be in conflict with the interests of Ezza Effium people as their representative at the event, Dr. Joseph Utobo, drew the attention of the Committee to the grey areas.

The Solicitor General of the State, Mr. Albert Alo, had while presenting the Peace Pact to the stakeholder said the white paper grants semi-autonomous community status to Ezza Effium people with a Village Head in their new settlement while Effium natives would retain the Traditional Ruler stool, which would be uncontestable.

Radio Nigeria also gathered that the white paper provides for the release of those in custody, reconstruction of destroyed public buildings and markets, economic empowerment of the people.

It also contains creation of a buffer zone to separate the warring communities while a massive forest reserve located in the community will be taken over by the state government and royalty for mineral deposits to be the prerogative of the landlord.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU