Communal crisis: Cross River community beg Ebonyi neighbour to re-open roads

The indigenes Adamma of Abi local government area of Cross River have appealed to their neighbour in Ndiagu-Amagu in Ikwo local government area in Ebonyi state to reopen roads linking them as well as the markets for easy movement and business transaction.

The roads and the popular Nwangagbo market were closed since 2016 when the crisis erupted between the communities.

The President of the Adamma Youth Association, Mr Sunday Eni made this appeal during a joint sensitization campaign on the need for peaceful co-existence between members of the two communities. The meeting was held at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ochiayim Amagu in Ikwo local government of Ebonyi state under the auspices of Cross River-Ebonyi Youth Development Movement.

Mr Eni explained that both communities have lost businesses worth billions of naira, especially in agriculture.

Since we signed and called for reopening of the transit routes, I will beg that you people should abide and implement the agreement. “Because as I speak the Ebebeye Road and the popular Nwangagbo market, which we traverse and trade together are yet to be opened by Ochiayim Amagu. “Therefore, on behalf of my people as the youth leader, l appeal to you (Ochiayim Amagu) to do so.

We cannot continue to live in fear because peace has finally returned.

“Again, we have lost so much especially in the area of agriculture since this crisis started,” he explained. In his address the President of Cross River-Ebonyi Youth Peace Development Movement, Barr. Paschal Nnaji Nwenyi, assured them of his readiness to bring permanent peace to the area.

“We are committed and totally committed to ending this crisis. I want to assure you we are not going back on our resolutions reached Calabar, we are going to form a viligante in each village that is affected in this crisis.

“Their duty is to supervise, monitor and report any person or group that tries to thwart our communiqué,” he said. Our correspondent who visited the two communities on Thursday observed that normalcy has returned in the area.