The council chairman of Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State, Barr. Clement Odah has alleged that the lingering boundary crisis between Ngbo community and Agila in Benue State, which resulted to the killings of over one hundred persons, is political motivated.
Odah made this known while speaking with media workers of Ohaukwu extraction, during a courtesy visit, which took place at his residence in Abakaliki.
He lamented that the frantic efforts being put in place to end the killings in the area were being sabotaged.
According to him “The boundary dispute between the people of Ebonyi state and the people of Benue state is older than all of us. Government after government, we are confronted with two major dimensions of insecurity; the external interstate problem, which is between Ngbo community in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi state and Agila in Benue state. This has lasted for over one hundred years now.
“Government after government, all efforts are being put in place to bring that situation to an end. I don’t know what happened in the previous governments but I want to say that since I took over the saddle of the council in 2015, a lot of efforts has been put in place both the conventional and unconventional approach. We have liaised with all authorities beginning from the vice president and the chairman of the National boundary commission.
“The office of His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi state, chief David Umahi is working with the governor of Benue state and most of the time, the office of the deputy governor, Barr. Eric Kelechi igwe has done a lot of things about it.
“Some meetings have been held, some of which took place in Abuja and uncountable meetings took place in my council headquarters and in the office of the deputy governor.
“The council have voluntarily and generously sponsored all the movements, meetings and initiatives. Some time in the past, about three years ago, there was no eruption or crisis. Peace lasted for about three years. We were convinced that we have brought to an end the unfortunate boundary dispute between the two states.
“It was until four months ago, when there was resurgence. Though because of the nature of security, we may not go in detail. The resurgence of the crisis between Ngbo and Agila area, has a political dimension. The details of the situation has been documented by security agents. There is a deliberate efforts by certain persons to sabotage the peace talk, this aspect have been well noted by the security authorities.
“When the blood shed became unbearable some time in April this year, the governor dissolved all the security committees established in the three villages of Ngbo as a way to douse the situation,” he stated.
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