Ebonyi/Cross River Crisis:Youth Seeks State Governors Attention

--Say, Both States Are Ready to Give Road Map for Lasting Peace

By Nwogha Ndubuisi Andy

Inorder to foster the peace and unity across border warring communities of Ebonyi and Cross River states to avoid breakdown of already existing mutual understanding across the zones, the president Joint Youth Organization led by Barr. Prince Pascal Nnaji Nwenyi on Thursday 14 November, 2019 paid courtesy visit to Hon. Barr. Samuel Okoronkwo, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs.

Speaking shortly after the meeting the National President Ebonyi/Cross River States Peace Development Movement,Barr. Nwenyi told newsmen that the group made the visit after town hall meeting aimed at improving the common understanding among the two states after the recent boundary crisis and appealed to the two state Governors to give them the opportunity to present to them their findings for permanent peace.

Recall that the two states had between last year and until recently engaged in renewed boundary dispute between Ikwo, Igbeagu and Cross River communities axis where many lives were lost and property worth millions of naira.

According to the National President" We have gone very far trying to achieve peace within the two states which is the reason you are seeing youths of the two states after our meeting paid a visit to the Commissioner. 

"As the youth we are moving in line with the elders and the general public but the real challenge we are having is Mobility to go to the hinterland so that we can meet more population of the youth so that we can address this insurgents and the far we have gone, we have been able to stop shoot out and have been able to open all the traversing roads in the crisis area that connect the two states and we thank God that generally normalcy are now returning to various areas."

"We are appealing to the two Governors to come to our aid; to give us their support so that finally we can achieve this peace to its barrest minimum. Every Local Government Area, community and villages of the warring area is properly represented in this group and we have been presenting our cases and I can say that peace is quick returning to the zones because what we hear now is merely not coming on expected day of "

"Also, we are urging the two Governors to give us the opportunity of addressing them so that we present to them our problem and they know how to address them, as well, called the National Boundary Commission to take advantage of the already resolved peace and know if there are some or part of their work remaining in those zones that they go and complete them for permanent peace."

Earlier in his remark, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters and Local Government Affairs,Barr. Samuel Okoronkwo, thanked the group for the effort in addressing the conflict and the level of mutual understanding the team has already achieved.

He noted that peace has no comparison, stating that no nation grows in atmosphere of rancour and conflict.

The Honourable Commissioner said their meeting is to farther renew their unity, understanding between the affected people of the two states and assured them of his support, even as, he commended the team leader for the wonderful initiative.

In an interview,Chief Sunday Abang Arembang from Osopu in Obubra Local Government, and one of the stakeholders of the Cross River affected axis was excited for the reception given to them.

In his words"I am impressed with the leader of the movement Barr. Pascal Nwenyi who lead us to see the Honourable Commissioner, definitely, when I saw one of our brothers from Okimbum that attended the peace meeting who told us that because the road so far opened from Ogurude to Ohana Edda, he followed the route from Okimbongha to Ogurude by Ohana Edda to Ojon through Ukwu mango where their motorcycle deflated but nobody hurts him"

"The message is now true to us that peace has returned between the two of us and other issues we discussed here on how youths will come together and fight a common course and youth who normally enter the bush are the ones preaching peace which means peace has returned to the zones."

Others who spoke includes Hon. Declan Ovuna, who thanked the team leader and group from Cross River State for their unrelenting spirit to ensure peace is enthroned in the warring border community and appealed National Boundary Commission to fasten their effort to bring permanent peace with the two boundary states.

It will interest you to know that the youth cut across the warring area of Igbeagu, Okpitumo, Ohana Edda,Ojon,Adadamma, Ukelle and other villages affected by the crisis.