FG COMMENDED FOR TIMELY INTERVENTION IN CLASHES BETWEEN EBONYI CROSS RIVER COMMUNITIES

The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo has been commended for prompt deployment of soldiers to Azuofida Community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following an attack by their neighbours in Ovuruogbom Village in Obubura Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Governor David Umahi gave the commendation when he visited the affected Community to assess the level of damage recorded during the incident.

Correspondent Amechi Odo reports that the Governor was accompanied by Security Chiefs in the State.

The crisis between the two communities began last month, when the people of Ovuruogbom village in Obubura Local Government Area of Cross River State allegedly accused Azuofida Community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State of killing their son who was a commercial motorcyclist.

The victim known as Ishaya was said to be conveying a woman to Ovuruogbom village en route Azuofida when he was allegedly waylaid and beheaded by a group of cultists even though his passenger was left unharmed. This resulted in alleged invasion of Azuofida which left at least four persons dead and three missing while houses and property worth millions of Naira were set ablaze.

Reacting after being conducted round the Community, Governor Umahi described the attack as unfortunate given efforts by his administration to resolve the crisis at the early stage.

“When the thing was trying to come up I called the Governor of Cross River State and he said he was busy and I said I was going to come to Calabar but unfortunately I traveled outside the country but to still show our innocence I sent the Deputy Governor of the state along with some Leaders of the community and they discussed very well.”

Governor Umahi emphasized that his administration would collaborate with Cross River State government and the National Boundary Commission to resolve all disputes between the people of the two states along boundary lines.  The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Titus Lamorde expressed the readiness of security agencies to maintain their presence in the area to ensure that such attack does not recur.

“Last Saturday the GOC, the Brigade Commander, myself and other security agencies were hear and we visited four communities and appealed to them for peace.”

Distributing relief materials to the affected victims, the Federal Commissioner National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mrs. Fadiya Umaru-Farouk represented by the Head Human Resource Management, Mrs. Maria Ngaji expressed the readiness of the commission to assist the victims.

One of the affected persons, Mr. JOJ Oketa called on the state government and security agencies to do everything within their powers to resolve the crisis pointing out that some of the affected persons were seeking refuge in schools and churches.