•Ebonyi, Cross River youths mark 5th anniversary of peace pact
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
Several communities in Ebonyi and Cross River states had been embroiled in bloody boundary clashes for years, until about five years ago when a ceasefire was negotiated.
•Scene of a meeting moderated by the Army to reconcile warring parties
The crises between some communities in Abakaliki, Izzi and Ikwo local governments, Ebonyi State, and their Abi, Obubra and Yala counterparts in Cross River State, which was at its peak between 2017 and 2019, attracted national attention to the point that the then General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Nigerian Army, tried to broker peace, all to no avail.
However, people from the initially warring areas of the two states in 2019 unanimously agreed to let go of one another’s shortcomings and embrace peace.
To commemorate that momentous occasion, the people, under the auspices of Cross River/Ebonyi Youths Peace Development Movement, recently observed the fifth anniversary of the ceasefire. The event attracted dignitaries from the two states, including officials of the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
Chairman of the movement, Mr. Paschal Nwenyi, disclosed that the event was also an avenue for the inauguration of Committee for Conflict Resolution and Peace Building: “A community-based early warning, early response system that is made up of members of the Cross River-Ebonyi Youths Peace Movement found to be on the part of conflict prevention and peace-building in the crisis-affected border communities of the two states has been officially inaugurated.”
•Ngbo, Agila leaders
He said the committee would engender collaborative negotiation, multi-stakeholder engagement and censuses-building valuable for synchronising issues, with the aim of achieving a communality of purpose among members of diverse interests.
Head, National Conflict Early Warning Early Response System Unit, National Boundary Commission, Mr. Steve Agbo, said the commission has been working with the peace development movement since 2019 principally to enhance local ownership and community participation in early warning-early response system in the country.
He noted that with the initiative, the people could easily identify the indicators of conflict and solve their problems by themselves before they would escalate to violence: “Of course, the rising issues of conflict across the country, which have endangered the country’s socialisation and engendered culture of violence in the communities, has made the institute to take decisive action by establishing community resilience mechanism as it has happened today.”
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State represented by Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Donatus Ilang, said citizens of the two states were glad over the peace initiative: “The fact that peace is the fundamental unit of human existence.
“A similar event was organised between Ngbo people of Ebonyi State and their neighbours of Agila in Benue State, recently. What we have demonstrated here today has shown that both Ebonyi and Cross River are unique and peace loving and my parts of the state.”
In another development, Nwifuru pledged to build the road connecting Ngbo in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State with their Agila neighbours of Ado LG, Benue State, to sustain the peace, facilitate communal relationship and trade between the people.
Represented by Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly, Mr. Chinedu Onah, at the grand finale of Ngbo Annual Day Celebration on December 22, 2023, he expressed happiness over the peace noticed between the two communities and enjoined the stakeholders of both sides to ensure that it was sustained.
He said his government invested resources in the peace processes involving the two states and assured the people of his preparedness to continue to prioritise security of life and property without compromise.
Former governor Sam Egwu, represented by Mr Samuel Okpor, said: “Congratulations on the peace, which has returned between you and Agila community. I am appealing that you use the period of Ngbo Day celebration to ponder on the best approach to adopt in maintaining and sustaining the peace so far achieved.”
President, Ngbo Leaders’ Council, Dr Okeh Okeh, stated that his people in collaboration with their Agila neighbours have set machinery in motion to forestall anything capable of jeopardising the nascent peace.
President, Agila Development Association (ADA), Mr Peter Otseh Otokpa, advocated for the implementation of the decisions earlier reached by both parties concerning the sustenance of the peace: “I want to remind us that we should keep to our collective decisions reached in our peace meetings in Otukpo, Benue State and that of Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu Local Government headquarters.”