By Roland Ike, Abakaliki
Stakeholders from two hitherto warring communities of Ebonyi and Benue have pledged to sustain the permanent truce reached to end the age-long fatricidal conflict.
The Ngbo community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi and Agila in Ado LGA of Benue had been engaged in a fatricidal, age-long boundary dispute.
The dispute which claimed hundreds of lives with several properties damaged had defied efforts to quell it but a permanent truce was eventually reached on November 18 with a peace walk.
The stakeholders who spoke on Friday at Ngbo, said that they would guard against any development that would jeopardise the permanent peace.
Chief Peter Oge-Ali, Ebonyi Commissioner for Power and Energy, desribed the truce as historic, noting that it has given people of both communities breath of fresh air.
“This is a practical demonstration of the resolve to end the dispute and the stakeholders would do everything possible to sustain the permanent peace.
“Both communities have decided to mend fences and this will hopefully usher the much needed peace and development,”
The Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi, Mr Ikechukwu Odonor, thanked the people for accepting to end the dispute noting that it was in line with the council’s desire for permanent peace.
“The council will collaborate with our Ado neighbours to ensure that the truce does not relapse through policies and programmes which sustain peace.
The President General of Ngbo Leaders Council, Dr. Chukwumeka Okeh assured people of both communities that peace ‘has come to stay’.
“I thank God that this feat was achieved during my leadership and urged both state governments to among other things, construct the road that links the two communities.
“The road when constructed will become the shortest route to the northern part of Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Philip Ogazi, a Youth Leader from Ngbo, noted that youths of the area have been sensitised to shun acts that would cause crisis and jeopardise the permanent peace.
Chief Sunny Attah, Husband to the Deputy Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, Mrs Danladi Lami said the truce will usher new frontiers of development and co-operation between both sides.
“Economic activities have commenced between both communities and our youths can presently inter-marry,” he said.
Mr Peter Oteokpa, President-General of the Agila Leaders Council, called for prayers by the people to ensure that the scars of the past are erased by the attainment of permanent peace.
The peace walk was spiced with purchase of items by both sides in their respective markets and a civic reception at the Ekwashi-Ngbo play ground.
