By Ruth Oginyi
Half naked women on Monday protest to the Ebonyi State Government House in Abakaliki over the intra-communal crisis rocking Agubua area of Igbudu community in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state, urging the government to find last peace to the crisis in the area.
The protester numbering over 100 between the ages of sixty to ninety years protested also condemned the arrest of some community youths resulting from the motor park leadership tussle in Agubua area of the community.
The women alleged that nine of their children were arrested on Saturday by security agents said to being acting on the instruction of a government official from the local government (name withheld), and called for their immediate release.
They lamented that some indigenes of the community have fled their homes to avoid being attacked in the crisis which have seen youths in the community being arrested by agents of government interested and befitting from the squabble.
According to the protesters who besieged the entrance gate of the Government House Abakaliki alleged that there had been incessant arrest in the village since November, adding that fresh arrest were made in the area on Saturday during a wedding ceremony in the community.
The pleaded with Governor David Umahi to urgently wade into the crisis to avoid further destruction of property and appealed to fleeing indigenes to return home and peacefully resolve the crisis.
“The latest was the arrest of two persons from the village in a wedding ceremony on Saturday in Abakaliki”, Mercy Nwali, who spoke on behalf of the protesters stated.
She stated further that they have been seeking refuge in nearby communities while their children, those who have not been arrested are nowhere to be found.
Nwali said, “What we are demanding is that all of them should come home so that we make peace. They shouldn’t be in town here and be terrorizing us in the village. We no longer sleep in our homes and we want government to intervene.”
Another aged woman, Juliana Nwali, who gave the names of her children arrested as Messrs Igwe Nwali, Chikwendu Nwali and Chineme Nwali, vowed never to leave Government House gate until her children were released to her.
The women also rejected the N50,000 given to them by one of the governor’s aides while calling for the immediate release of their children.
Addressing the women, the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, Hon. Stanley Okoro Emegha, assured them that government will ensure that absolute peace is returned to the troubled area.
“You know, you are our mothers. Our Governor was not happy to see you in this way and mood. So, whatever is the problem, I assure you it will be resolved not later than today”, Emegha added.
Recall that a bloody clash between two rival groups over Motor Park in the community had reportedly claimed the life of one Chinedu Nwali, and many others injured while houses, cars and property worth millions of naira were damaged.
