Ebonyi/Cross River clashes: Killings cannot be taken for granted – Dambazau

The minister of interior, Mr. Bello Dambazau on Tuesday vowed that the killings and wanton destruction of lives and property resulting from the boundary dispute between Ebonyi and Cross River states cannot be taken for granted.

The land dispute between the two states has resulted to the displacement of over 7000 persons from both States.
Dambazau made this known while addressing stakeholders, including the Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Umahi at the exco-chambers, Government House, Abakaliki during his two-day working visit to the state.

“My aim is to ensure that we find lasting solution to the problem because this is the problem that affects the common man, affects people in the rural communities who depend on farming to survive. This is a problem that has resulted to the loss of lives and destruction of properties. This is a problem that impacts on food security.

“The loss of lives and destruction of properties cannot be taking for granted. So, ours is to see how this problem could be solved because our visit is not to apportion blame but to ensure that the problem, by the grace of God gets solved. We cannot solve the problem unless we sit down and talk and identify all the factors in order to arrive at valid conclusion.

“We visited the IDPs camp and most of them are children and women and their conditions are terribly bad. So, therefore we want to appreciate Ebonyi State for the support given by the state.
“It is the duty of government to ensure that lives of the people and their properties are well protected and their welfare is also guaranteed and that is what we are pursuing.

“Whatsoever we can do to deal with this situation, we will do it. Outside dialogue, there is issue of impunity and we cannot allow people to go freely carrying out violence against people who have no knowledge about what is happening,” he said.

He called on security agencies at all levels to ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts were prosecuted as soon as possible.

“The police and other security agencies must continue to do what they have been doing. I want to appreciate all the efforts of the security Agencies, especially the G.O.C of 82 Division. I know all the efforts he has been making and that has been attested by the both States.

“We cannot leave this to security personnel only because we don’t want a situation whereby there will be crisis, instead we need peaceful and secured environment,” he stated.

Responding, Governor Umahi thanked the federal government led by President Mohammadu Buhari for the initiative that is targeted towards securing the lives and properties of Ebonyians.

“The crisis as I was told is over 100 years back, and I believe that every problem comes with seed of solutions. Leaders are appointed by God for different purposes and I believe that we leaders have been appointed to secure the lives of the defenceless women and children that are being slaughtered along those borders.

“Our confidence in this movement is that we have made so much effort to get the government of Cross River to talk to us because I believe strongly that God brought me to leadership to bring peace to those areas.

“We are ready to assist the minister to do whatever thing that can bring peace. We condemn the killings and destruction of properties. We declare our readiness to work with the minister to ensure that peace and order returns to the warring zones.

“I will also want you to direct the police here in Ebonyi to liaise with the police at the Cross River and have a common denominator of dealing with this matter,” he stated.

©Daily Post