Prince, Oriri Richard, the Social Democratic Party-SDP Flag bearer for Ado State Constituency, has condenmed the heinous attack on the Ezza Community in OKPOBLA, Apa Ward, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, on Monday, 7th November, 2022.
Expressing displeasure on a telephone conversation with the Ezza Community through their Youth leader, Comrade Otubo Jeremaiah on Wednesday, the Member, Benue State House of Assembly hopeful come 2023, described the attack as inhuman, barbaric, archaic and unjustifiable. Any anger that can lead to the destruction of lives and properties is against God which must be condemned strongly in its entirety.
The Social Democratic Party-SDP candidate who immediately contacted the DSS representative in Ado over the attack, called on all relevant government agencies in Benue and Ebonyi States to be proactive in resolving the lingering crisis between Effium Community and Ezza who live within the boundary areas. This is a conflict that has lasted for more than a year now, claiming many lives and hundreds of millions of properties destroyed in the process.
Prince Oriri, pained and furious over the crisis that has crippled economic, social and political endeavours of the people, charged government on both sides (Benue & Ebonyi), to as a matter of urgency, activate what he called, “a Third-Party diplomatic approach of mediation” to resolving the Conflict for permanent peace to return to the area. Prince Oriri blamed the lingering crisis on a sharp disconnect between those in government and communities they represent which has denied them concrete security information available at the grassroots.
Prince Oriri, who was disturbed by the suffering and pains the affected Communities are passing through, demanded for urgent platform for negotiation, where disputants in the crisis would lay down their demands for discussion then subsequent resolution that maybe long lasting be reached through written or unwritten agreements which would be signed or adopted by both parties. The same strategy the Prince was said to have applied in Ijigban, resulting in permanent peace between Effiums and the Ezzas Communities in the District.
So far, the recent attack on Ezza Okpobla Community has claimed 21 lives who are mostly children and women. Out of the 21 innocent Nigerians of Ezza origin killed, Chief IGWE ANYIGOR losses 9 of his family members out of the 12 persons killed in his Compound to the attack, while 9 others were killed at different locations in the Community. In all, 3 men, 6 women and 12 children loss their lives in the dastardly act committed by the assailants while 5 others still missing.
Prince Oriri in his remark, pleaded with the aggrieved Parties in the crisis to shield their sword and embrace peace as Ado people cannot continue to accept this kind of unimaginable attack on our people.
