By Roland Ike, Abakaliki
Two warring Ebonyi and Benue communities have conducted a peace walk to end their age-long fatricidal boundary dispute.
The Ngbo community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and Agila community of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State have been engaged in an age-long boundary dispute.
The dispute has claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
Efforts made in the past to permanently end the dispute had failed as the present acceptance of peace, a big relief to residents of both communities.
Addressing people of both communities at Ekwashi Ngbo playground, Ebonyi State, on Monday, the Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr Donatus Ilang, thanked them for finally accepting to shun dispute and embrace peace.
Ilang, who represented the Deputy Governor, Mrs Patricia Obila, at the event, described the development as ‘heart-warming’.
“This decision to embrace peace is in line with both state governments’ efforts to permanently end the dispute.
“The Ebonyi State government is committed to this lasting peace move and would formulate policies and programmes to sustain it,”.
Chief Nwachukwu Eze, Member representing Ebonyi/ Ohaukwu federal constituency at the House of Representatives said the occasion called for profound gratitude to God.
“I feel happy seeing my people trading at the Agila market and they doing the same in our market, signifying that peace is supreme.
“I was offered gifts when I went to their market to purchase goods and this is what we have been yearning for long,”
He said that the road connecting both communities had been cleared by the youths and that he would collaborate with his counterpart representing Agila people, to make it accessible.
“The road connects the northern and southern parts of the country as the distance from my place to Otukpo junction will take 30 minutes.
“Govenors of both states gave us tremendous support to achieve this feat and they have been adequately briefed of the development,”
Chief Sunny Attah, Husband to the Benue House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Mrs Danladi Lami commended stakeholders from both states for making the event a reality.
“We have several regrets about the dispute but this permanent peace will usher development which had eluded both communities.
“Aside the resumed business activities between both sides, they can now inter-marry which was elusive before,” he said.
