The Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, has reaffirmed his commitment to securing a lasting resolution to the protracted boundary dispute affecting Isu communities, saying his interventions on the matter began long before recent incidents brought renewed attention to the crisis.
Osonwa, in a statement detailing his efforts, recalled that on October 25, 2023, he co-sponsored a motion with Hon. Emil Lemke, representing Biase Federal Constituency, calling for the establishment of a Forward Operating Base at the Isu boundary.
According to the lawmaker, his initial request for military presence was informed by his assessment that the police alone might not have sufficient capacity to secure the troubled boundary area. He said the House, however, amended the prayer at the time to restrict the intervention to the police.
Seven months later, according to Osonwa, another attack was recorded in Isu, during which Mrs. Alade Kalu Elem of Obiezu/Ohabuike was killed and a 90-year-old woman sustained a gunshot injury.
Following the incident, Osonwa said he returned to the floor of the House to renew calls for military intervention and the establishment of a peacekeeping post between the affected communities.
He also called on the National Boundary Commission to intensify efforts towards clearly delineating the disputed boundary as part of measures to achieve a permanent resolution.
The House, he added, was asked to observe a moment of silence in honour of the late Mrs. Elem, ensuring that her death was formally acknowledged in the records of the National Assembly.
Osonwa stressed that legislative motions alone were insufficient without sustained follow-up and practical interventions for affected residents.
As part of those efforts, he said solar-powered streetlights were provided at Obieze Market, while food relief was distributed to families displaced by the crisis.
“At my request, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Abia State Boundary Commission convened a security meeting with the Commissioner of Police and the Commander of 14 Brigade Ohafia,” Osonwa said.
He added that engagements have also been extended to the Deputy Governors of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states as efforts continue to find a peaceful and sustainable solution.
The federal lawmaker further highlighted what he described as coordinated representation across different levels of government, noting that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu had raised the issue in the Senate, while Hon. Uchenna Okoro Kalu pursued interventions at the Abia State House of Assembly.
According to him, Hon. Uchenna Okoro Kalu also visited Isu alongside his Chief of Staff to assess the situation firsthand.
Osonwa said the interventions demonstrate his belief that effective representation should extend beyond speeches and motions to sustained engagement until tangible solutions are achieved.
“Anyone can speak once about a crisis. The test is whether you were speaking about it before it became news, and whether you were still on it long after the news moved on,” he stated.
He acknowledged that the underlying boundary dispute remains unresolved but vowed to continue pursuing security, dialogue and proper boundary delineation until a lasting solution is achieved.
“The boundary is not yet settled. I will not stop working on it until it is,” Osonwa declared.
