Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state Monday blamed the Chairman of Ohaukwu local government area of the state, Chief Clement Odah and the member representing Ohaukwu North constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon Chinedu Awo, on the incessant communal crisis going on between the people of Effium and Ezza Effium in the Effium community of the Ohaukwu local government.
The crisis has claimed the lives of many persons with houses and other valuable properties burnt by the warlords.
The governor spoke in Abakaliki during a meeting with the stakeholders of the communities, regretting that 25 deaths have been recorded, 26 arms recovered from warlords, 125 houses burnt, fuel and gas stations also burnt.
He also blamed the state commissioner for local government, Samuel Okoronkwo and his special assistant on Parks Development, Emmanuel Igwe for the crisis.
Umahi noted that the crisis could have been averted if Odah, Awo, Okoronkwo and Igwe listened to his instructions on how to solve the little problems that was occurring in the community before it escalated.
“Let us not forget that this problem started by the Council Chairman, Clement Odah and Hon. Chinedu Awo the House of Assembly member. When the problem started between them, I called them severally one on one, three of us. We sat and I pleaded with them. In fact, at a time, one of them walked away on me. It took my begging the Speaker for the House not to sack the person on this same issue. I just took it that there is nothing a father will not see, there is nothing leadership will not see. Two of them fighting for supremacy, 2023 that they do not know whether they will see.
He alleged that money was being contributed by the warring parties to promote the crisis and vowed that he will prosecute anybody sponsoring the killings in the community.
“There is no way Ezzas will say that they don’t know what is happening at Effium and there is no way that Effium will say that they don’t know what is happening at Effium. If they ask you to contribute money whether you know what the money is for or you don’t know what the money is for, the moment you contribute to spilling blood, it means that you and your generation to the 5th generation will be cursed.
“If you are here or you know anybody contributing money to buy arms to spill innocent blood, you have to go home and begin prayers because come rain comes sunshine, the word of God must come to pass, whether you like it or not. We are all here because God gave us the opportunity. A small diabetes or kidney problem or cancer will demobilize anybody but you don’t have it because of the mercy and the grace of God. So, I have called you as our leaders and stakeholders to ask what we will do to stop this? Enough is enough!”
