Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has given the stakeholders of Ishiagu and Umobor-Akaeze communities two weeks to mutually settle their rift over a disputed expanse of land or forfeit it to the government.
The governor issued the marching order at a meeting with the two communities in his Conference Room at the Government House.
The two communities, principally Ogwor in Ishiagu and Umobor in Akaeze, both in Ivo Local Government Area, have been enmeshed in a long standing dispute over the piece of land known as Elueke, which has on several occasions resulted in outright violence and killings.
Fresh hostilities between the two communities erupted last week, which recorded some loss of lives and destruction of property.
At the expanded security meeting on Monday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, Governor Nwifuru frowned at the development and urged them to sheathe their swords and embrace peace, while reinforcing that the disputed land remains a buffer zone.
He described as shameful the development where two brothers should take up arms against each other and urged them to mutually make some sacrifices in the dispute to achieve lasting peace.
Nwifuru said: “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, and 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.
“It is very shameful that the people of Umobor and Ogwor have allowed wars to tear them apart.
“You may not know the meaning of the peace you enjoy until you lose it and that is when you will know the meaning of absence of peace.”
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The Governor, who constituted a committee to visit the boundary areas and work out modalities for peaceful resolution of the crisis, warned the people to reason together for a lasting peace over the parcel of land, failure of which the government would seize the land and deprive the two communities of its benefits.
The committee comprised two Village Heads; one youth leader from each of the communities; five elders each; Council Chairman; two Development Centre Coordinators; Executive Council Members from the State Executive Council; as well as representatives of security agencies.
Governor Nwifuru added: “As for the land, every land in the state belongs to the Governor and he can decide to take it for a housing estate, a public secondary school or even a police station, for overriding public interest.
“But I just want you people to tow the path of peace.”
In an interview, the Chairman, Ivo LGA, Emmanuel Ogbonna Ajah, appreciated the governor for his intervention, describing him as a man of peace.
He expressed optimism that lasting peace will be achieved in the area, appealing to the government not to seize the land, which he described as very fertile.
Ajah further called on the stakeholders of the area to apply caution and stand on the truth.
He said: “Let the elders, our stakeholders stand for the truth.
“A land matter is a delicate one that nobody can just wake up and handle alone.
“It demands that we come together: the elders, the stakeholders, the security chiefs in the state, the Commissioners for Border Peace, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters as well as the Council Chairman, for us to take a critical look at it and find a balanced solution.”
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