Amidst the fresh communal clashes between the people of Enyibichiri, Izzi in Abakaliki Local Government Area and Echialike, Ikwo, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, a group, Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) has called on the state governor, Dave Umahi, to step in and halt the loss of innocent lives.
President of the AESID, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, in a statement at the weekend, condemned the abduction of some Izzi children by fighters alleged to be from the Echi-Alike area.
He expressed concern over the renewed attacks as he noted that the warring communities have been living peacefully as brothers before the raging violence.
“It is a common knowledge therefore that the anger over the latest development on the crisis must have necessitated the reported attacks on Ikwo natives even in the Abakaliki capital city and the heightening apprehension over reprisal attacks that have since pervaded the two popular clans. As at the last count, we scooped that some prominent Ikwo natives have deserted the capital city to some other parts of the region and the country while those who may not afford the luxury of travelling that far have relocated to their Ikwo communities.
“AESID is worried and tempted to again, demand that the world must blame Umahi’s reprehensible laxity for not nipping this ugly incident in the bud not only as the Chief Security Officer of the State.’
The AESID while calling on Governor Umahi to be unbiased and firm in getting to the root of the crisis and masterminds of the killings, further noted that the Ebonyi State governor must convince all that the recent violence has no political undertone ahead 2023 general elections.
“From attacks between indigenous Effium natives Versus Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi North to Iyionu in Ishielu in Ebonyi Central and Ikwo Versus Izzi in the same Central Senatorial zone to Ishinkwo Ukawu versus Abaomege (who are still Ekumenyi brothers) in Ebonyi South, is it not reasonable to suspect that these could all be part of the desperate antics of Governor Umahi to make sure that the Umuekumenyi brothers does not have a common voice when they go into elections in 2023?
“Already, some political pundits have also wondered why it is Ikwo which has the largest political wards in the state with as much as 20 political wards of any LGA in the State and the Izzi that is one of the clans with largest number of voters that would suddenly be up in arms against one another. When will Umahi return our beloved state to the peaceful path he met and end these persistent bloodsheds?
“We conclude by demanding the immediate release of the reportedly abducted kids and asking leaders of thoughts from Umuekumenyi to convoke an extraordinary, apolitical stakeholders meeting which shall involve all youths and key stakeholders to address these challenges and embrace peaceful co-existence among one another. We feel they would be the greatest losers to go into any form of war with each other when it is even now that they need each other most.
“They should therefore prove their enemies and traducers wrong by not only amicably resolving this dispute but ensure that going forward, there would be no love lost between and among brothers of the same Ekumenyi progenitor. This, AESID believes is the best way to go for any meaningful development to be initiated and sustained in their local communities.”
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