Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has received the interim report of the Amasiri-Edda Boundary Adjustment and Demarcation Committee and reinstated the traditional rulers of Ndukwe and Amasiri communities, who were dethroned in connection with the protracted communal crisis.
Nwifuru, while receiving the report on Tuesday at the Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakaliki, also directed the affected communities to maintain the status quo pending the completion of the boundary adjustment and demarcation exercise.
The governor warned residents of both communities against trespassing into disputed areas or interfering with the ongoing process, stressing that his administration was committed to restoring lasting peace and social order across the state.
The committee, headed by the Commissioner for Border, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Prof. Paul Nwobasi, was constituted by the governor following the deadly attack at Okporojo on February 6, which escalated tensions between Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area and Oso-Edda in Edda Local Government Area.
Receiving the interim report, Nwifuru described peace as a “prized possession” in society and said his administration would not tolerate communal conflicts capable of undermining development.
“In our administration, we are committed to making peace in all the communities in this state. We are happy people are making sacrifices to support our peace efforts,” the governor said.
He commended members of the committee for their work, noting that the dispute had reportedly persisted for more than a century.
“This is a very hard job that the committee was assigned to do. I am grateful and I thank them. I am not in doubt regarding the credibility of the job that we bestowed on them,” Nwifuru said.
The governor also dismissed insinuations that the government's intervention was targeted at any particular clan or community, insisting that the administration's objective was to resolve the dispute and create an environment conducive to development.
“Some of the social media influencers who are uninformed believe we are witch-hunting some communities,” he said.
Nwifuru added, “Amasiri should know, that as a government, we have no interest. Our interest is the peace that will give us development. Where there's no peace, there is no development. We are willing to make peace.”
He further declared that the acceptance of the committee's interim report did not amount to weakness on the part of the government, but demonstrated its willingness to make necessary adjustments in pursuit of peace.
“We have been able to make amendments and this does not imply weakness,” the governor said.
On the next phase of the process, Nwifuru said: “We hereby accept the report and insist status quo should be maintained as the demarcation exercise is being carried out. None should interfere and trespass on each other's land.”
Earlier, the committee chairman, Prof. Nwobasi, said the panel had held several meetings, engaged residents of the affected communities and physically inspected the disputed areas before arriving at its interim findings.
“We have surveyed the areas. We went to the areas in question, made sketches and reached decisions. This is why we deemed it necessary to present this interim report to Your Excellency,” Nwobasi said.
He commended Nwifuru for what he described as his forthrightness, compassion and thoughtfulness in intervening in the conflict, which he characterised as “hydra-headed and intractable.”
The governor's intervention is expected to provide further impetus to ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions between the communities and establish a mutually accepted boundary framework as the demarcation process progresses.
I
