Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has announced the immediate takeover of the disputed land between the people of Enyigba and their neighbouring Enyibichiri Alike-Ikwo in Abakaliki and Ikwo local government areas of the state by the state government.
In a renewed war between the two communities which Daily Sun gathered has lasted more than 30 years, no fewer than six persons were killed while property worth millions of naira were destroyed.
To restore normalcy, the governor set up a committee.
But, the committee, it was gathered, had barely concluded its reports before the feud erupted again with some militia groups shooting and burning houses in the area.
But angered by this, Umahi, during an enlarged security meeting in Exco Chambers, Government House, Abakaliki, declared that the state government has taken over the disputed land and ordered security agents to apprehend anybody found encroaching on the land.
“If this crisis continues, there will be no more salaries in the two local government areas.
“I will slash the salaries of the appointees in the two communities into security problems.
“Ebonyi State government has taken over that parcel of land and anybody who enters there, apprehend him.
“I am directing security agencies to arrest within the next seven days, all the people burning downhouses and those doing the shootings.
“They have to rebuild the houses they have burnt, anybody who crosses that land is guilty of 10 years imprisonment,” he said.