Effium indigenes commend Buhari, Umahi's peace efforts in Ebonyi community

 
By NATIONAL PANEL Reporters

President Muhammad Buhari and Governor David Umahi.

Effium natives operating under the auspices of Effium Indigenous Vanguard, have commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and Governor David Umahi for the commitment and dedication to returning peace in Effium Community.

Intra-communal war  broke out in the community since January 2021.

 The Effium natives said while they have always respected all goverment's pecae efforts but regretted that their opponent, the Ezza_Effium people have always violated all peace process by the Ebonyi State government .

They blamed the member representing Ohauwkwu North in Ebonyi state Hosue of Assembly, Chinedu Awo, for the lingering crisis.



Effium Indigenous Vanguard made this known at a press conference in Abakaliki on Friday.



Addressing journalists, the  Chairman of the group, Godwin Ogaba and the Secretary, Sampson Isih, alleged that Ezza fighters were attacking Effium natives through Benue boundary.

 “It should be noted that the Ezzas have continued to violate every single peace agreement and ceasefire orders by the government even as at the time of this press release Ezza fighters are currently attacking Lebadegum and Ofuke in Akparata axis.

“We employ this press release to appeal to Benue state government to complement the effort of Ebonyi state government in nipping this crisis in the bud by urgently taking drastic measures to stop Ezza fighters from using the border routes to come and attack Effium natives as the Ezza fighters who attacked Lebadegum/Ofule villages of Effium are believed to have come from Benue/Ebonyi boundary. This is important if we avoid another inter state war.

“Recently, these attacks by Ezzas have graduated from the use of AK-47 and AK- 49 to the use of improvised explosive devices (IED). The Effium natives have suffered so many casualties with over one thousand hulled and over two thousand houses burnt with properties worth billions of naira destroyed.”

“We want to thank His Excellency the governor of Ebonyi state, Engineer David Nweze Umahi for his continuous effort to nip the crisis in the bud with the recent deployment of more army troops and other security personnel to the troubled le community which has resulted to a relatively r calm in the last couple of days.”