By Ruth Oginyi
On Thursday, the two warring people of Effium and Ezza-Effium, Effium community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State Signed Ceasefire Agreement.
The signing of the Ceasefire Agreement took place before the peace and reconciliation committee in pastoral center Abakaliki, the state capital after they met with the committee with security chiefs in attendance.
The war between Effium and Ezza Effium community started on January 21st, 2021, and has claimed many lives with properties worth billions of naira destroyed.
The two warring parties who have been living together for many decades before the war in which both of them recorded many death and destruction of valuable parties, agreed to end the bloodletting when they sign a ceasefire agreement before the committee set up by Governor Francis Nwifuru to find a lasting solution to the war.
The Chairman of the peace and reconciliation committee, Most Rev. Nnachi Okoro, Bishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki urged the parties to embrace peace and continue to live as brothers.
Dr. Donatus Ilang the state Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, read the ceasefire agreement before the warring parties after which their stakeholders signed the agreement on behalf of their clan.
The agreement reads in parts, “A ceasefire agreement is made this day of 2023 between Effium and Ezza Effium.
“Whereas there was a crisis between Effium and Ezza Effium, Effium community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State which started on 21st January 2021 and has lingered till date.
“Not comfortable with the war, the state government constituted a peace and reconciliation committee to resolve the crisis.
“The reconciliation committee has commenced mediation, arbitration with the parties who have mutually agreed to halt all forms of attack against one another.
“The parties have agreed as follows; that the state government through the committee should use all available at its disposal oral and handwritten to resolve the crisis.
“That both parties have agreed to prevail on their warriors to lay down their arms by the ceasefire to enable the committee fully wade into the crisis and amicably resolve same.
“Both parties have also agreed to stop all forms of hostilities and to cooperate with the state government and the committee in their efforts to bring lasting peace to the trouble-ridden community.
“Consequently, any party or group of persons or individuals that violate this ceasefire agreement will be answerable to the laws of Ebonyi State and the federal republic of Nigeria”
Rev. Fr. Charles Otu commended security chiefs for their toward ending the war.
He warned against breach of the ceasefire agreement by any of the parties.
