There was tension in Imama Village, Ozizza Community, Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, yesterday as women from the community staged a peaceful protest over the alleged killing of an indigene at a Chinese-owned stone crushing site.
The protesters, numbering over 50 and mostly elderly women, marched to the quarry site carrying leaves, sticks, and twigs while chanting solidarity songs.
They accused unidentified persons of allegedly setting an indigene of the community ablaze at the facility, an incident which they said has thrown the village into fear and uncertainty.
The women vowed not to remain silent while their community is turned into what they described as a “killing zone,” calling on the Ebonyi State Government and relevant security agencies to immediately investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
After the protest at the quarry site, the women proceeded to the residence of the immediate past president of the village, where they dropped the leaves, sticks, and twigs used during the demonstration, a symbolic appeal to the land and traditional institutions to intervene in the matter.
Reacting to the incident, the Member representing Afikpo West State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and Leader of the House, Mr Kingsley Ikoro, called on residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
Speaking with journalists, Ikoro disclosed that he immediately rushed to the community following the protest to prevent any escalation of the situation.
“I have been in the village since the protest took place. As the member representing the area and being part of the community, I had to come down immediately to ensure the matter does not escalate,” he said.
The lawmaker added that a meeting of the village had been convened to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the alleged killing, including verifying claims that an indigene who went to the farm failed to return.
According to him, the incident has been reported to relevant security agencies, who have commenced investigations to unravel what actually happened and bring the perpetrators to book.
Ikoro also commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for prioritizing peace and security across the state, stressing that meaningful development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity.
He urged residents of the community to continue to support the peace initiatives and developmental strides of the state government, noting that the governor remains committed to peaceful coexistence between indigenes and non-indigenes living and doing business in Ebonyi State.
As of the time of filing this report, normalcy had returned to Imama Village, with residents seen going about their normal daily activities while security agencies continue their investigations.
