Sunday Aborisade, Abuja
The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to establish a security base at border communities between Benue and Ebonyi States in the interest of peace.
The Senate condemned frequent killings between the Ezza people in Benue State and the Effium people of Ebonyi State.
The Senate’s position was sequel to a motion titled: ‘Incessant bloody clash between bordering communities of Benue and Ebonyi States: urgent need for Senate intervention’, sponsored by Senator Abba Moro (Benue South).
Moro lamented that the feeling of comradeship between the border communities of Ezza in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State and Effium of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, no longer exists.
He said the development was caused by ceaseless communal clashes between the duo which always lead to killings and destruction of valuables worth hundreds of millions of naira.
The Benue South lawmaker regretted that a petition on this same crisis was laid through him in the Senate on May 5, 2021.
Moro said his colleague, Senator Sam Egwu of Ebonyi North Senatorial District, had also pleaded with his constituents “to sheath their swords and embrace peace”.
He, however, lamented that the people refused to bid a farewell to arms and the crisis still lingers.
He said: “Unfortunately, not less than 53 people on both sides have lost their lives in the recent clashes between the Ezza and Effium people of Benue and Ebonyi States.
“Painfully, the crisis again started in the night and spilled into a better part of the next day as houses of the Ezza people of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State were set ablaze in the night.
“This led to the death of many Ezzas in their sleep and it doesn’t look like the incessant attacks on the peace-loving people of Ezza is coming to an end any time soon if urgent steps are not taken to permanently halt the ugly perennial mayhem suffered by the Ezza people in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.”
Moro attributed the discovery of mineral resources in the area to what has aggravated the communal clashes.
He said the entire Ezza community had been sacked as over 30 persons were killed within 24 hours.
According to him, “The border community is now a ghost town as people moved away from their ancestral homes becoming refugees in foreign land.”
The Senate accordingly urged the National Boundary Commission to exercise its powers as enshrined under Section 7 of the National Boundary Commission Act, to define and delineate boundaries between the Ezzas and Effiums.
It also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to quickly mobilise relief and rehabilitation materials to families of victims and displaced Ezzas in the recent attacks.
