In a bid to check fresh outbreak of hostilities between some parts of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the Agila people of Benue State, Governor David Umahi has directed that the Ohaukwu Council Chairman, Clement Odah, and 39 others be arrested for interrogations by the Police and the Department of State Services.
The Governor gave the directive on Thursday during an enlarged Security meeting with stakeholders from troubled areas in the State.
The forty persons comprised the stakeholders of the area who about a fortnight ago signed an agreement to maintain peace in the troubled parts of the local government area.
The Governor, who also directed that the affected persons should be reporting to the security agencies on daily basis until absolute peace is restored in the area, scolded the Council chairman for his inability to maintain order within his jurisdiction.
He expressed sadness over what he described as sabotage and betrayal from some persons in Ohaukwu in collaboration with others from Benue against the State, adding that such attitude has continued to favour attacks on the people.
Umahi added that the Ohaukwu LGA stakeholders should be held responsible for any outbreak of hostilities and directed the Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security, Kenneth Ugbala, to ensure compliance with the directives.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, advised the stakeholders to put their house in order, regretting that the recent attack on the people happened few days after inaugurating a new security committee in the area, which was previously dissolved.
Igwe observed that the people were their own enemies going by the fact that four members of the newly-inaugurated security council were among those killed in the fresh attacks.
Those killed were said to have been beheaded.
The Council boss, while narrating the recent happenings in the area, blamed the Agila people of Benue for swooping on their people without any provocation.
He regretted that the Agila people were notorious for always breaking any peace agreement reached in the process of restoring peace between them and solicited the assistance of State Government in the management of Internally Displaced Persons resulting from the crises, which, according to him, has overwhelmed the Council Area.
Recall that there was fresh attack against Ohaukwu people in Ebonyi State by the Agila people of Benue few days ago, which claimed no less than seven lives with several others wounded.
Governor Umahi had summoned the Chairman and other stakeholders to query them on the development.
Meanwhile, final peace deal has been reached between the Enyigba and Enyibichiri people of Abakaliki and Ikwo Local Government Areas following the presentation of the final report on the disputed land from the Committee to the State Executive Council on Thursday.
The report, which included a detailed survey map of the land and the demarcated boundaries, was received by Governor Umahi at the Executive Council Chambers.
Umahi, who warned the people against any breach of the agreement, pledged to deal ruthlessly with any group or person who foments any further trouble in the area.