Peace Accord: Gov Nwifuru assents bill for 5 autonomous communities, flags-off boundary road in the area

A bill to legalize and make binding the peace accord between the Effium and Ezza-Effium communities in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi state has been assented to by Governor Francis Nwifuru.

 

The community was devastated by intra-commumal war which lingered for about five years.

 

The crisis emanated remotely from a dispute over the leadership of a popular motor park and commercial centre in the area and escalated, resulting in the loss of many lives, houses and other invaluable property with the previously busy community remaining a ghost of itself till date.

 

The State government had earlier set up a peace committee which came up with certain recommendations culminating in the State House of Assembly passing the law, Ebonyi State Law 004 of 2025, captioned: ” Ebonyi State and Effuim and Alioma Peace pact, creation of Effium, Ekeyigwe, Ijeoma communities and Alioma Ezekuna Autonomous community.”

 

The law which provides for the creation of five autonomous communities in the area, also provided for clear demarcation of the boundaries with access road between the Effium and the Ezza-Effuim communities comprising the newly named Alioma Ezekuna and other communities.

 

The assent which was performed Thursday by the governor in his office conference hall was shortly followed by the official flag-off of the demarcation exercise and a 25.5Km boundary road between the Effium and Alioma Ezekuna communities.

 

Addressing the people at Effium Central School, venue of the event, Governor Nwifuru warned the parties against any violation of the pact, stressing that all violators would strictly be punished in accordance with the provisions of section 7 sub section 4 of the law irrespective of the person’s social status.

 

He explained that by the Law 004 of 2025, 5 communities have been created from Effuim community which included Effium Autonomous community, Ekenyigwe Autonomous community, Idenyi Autonomous community, Anioma Autonomous community and Ezekuna Autonomous community.

 

Nwifuru further enumerated other provisions of the law and cautioned the parties against any form of trespass.

 

He stated emphatically: “I hereby proclaim according to the law that the area known as forest with a total of 9, 784, 140.183 square metres, that is 978, 414 hectares hereby remains as federal government reserved area.

 

“Two, that the Effium market and its environs of a total of 556, 161, 090 square metres, that is 556,106 hectares, comprising Abuja Primary School, Effium road, Effium play ground, police station, fuel station, methodist church, customary court, first bank, community central school, Effium; Assemblies of God Church, Effium; Catholic Church Effium to Egwudinagu road, Winners Chapel Church, Ojenyara Effium are hereby acquired by the government of Ebonyi state for overriding public interest.”

 

The chairman of the State Peace Committee, Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, in his opening remark, said the event marked the end of hostilities in the land and appealed to the warring parties to see reasons to nail the crises, bury the hatchet and eternalise the peace that the Governor has brought to the area.

 

In a welcome address, the Ohaukwu Council Chairman, Mr Ikechukwu Odono described the day as both historic and the end of horror and beginning of peace in Effium land.

He applauded Governor Nwifuru for his peace initiatives in the state assuring that the people will abide by the provisions of the law and the peace pact.

 

Meanwhile, observations indicated that the Effium section of the people were not quite happy with the development as only the Ezzas were prominently excited, hailing the Governor as he spoke.

 

Moreover, it seemed many of the Effium leaders of thought were absent at the event.