The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has urged the residents of Umuobor-Akaeze and Ogwor-Ishiagu communities in the Ivo Local Government Area to embrace peace and put an end to their long-standing conflict.
Governor Nwifuru made the appeal during a meeting with stakeholders from both communities at the New Government House in Abakaliki, the state capital.
The meeting was convened in response to the escalating crisis between the two communities, which has resulted in casualties and widespread destruction of property.
The dispute, centred on the fertile Elueke land, has spanned several decades and recently flared up again, leading the state government to declare the disputed area a buffer zone.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor, and obtained by Channels Television on Monday evening, Governor Nwifuru reiterated that the area would remain a buffer zone until a peaceful resolution is reached.
He warned that the government would assume ownership of the land if the communities failed to resolve their differences within two weeks.
“I called for this meeting to reconcile the aggrieved brothers of Akaeze and Ishiagu Communities in Ivo Local Government Area. Peace is all about give and take. We are all here to make sacrifices and submit to the will of the people. What the people want is peace, law and order, and that is the mandate they gave me,” Governor Nwifuru said.
He expressed disappointment at the persistence of the conflict, stating, “It is very shameful that the people of Umuobor and Ogwor have allowed wars to tear them apart. Ordinarily, you should not have allowed third parties to come in between your problems. You may not know the meaning of the peace you enjoy until you lose it—that is when you will know the meaning of absence of peace.”
To facilitate a resolution, Governor Nwifuru announced the formation of a committee to visit the disputed boundary and develop strategies for lasting peace.
This intervention follows Governor Nwifuru’s declaration last Friday that the Elueke land would serve as a buffer zone. The renewed clashes between the Umuobor-Akaeze and Ogwor-Ishiagu communities have left many injured and caused significant property damage, intensifying the need for immediate action.
