By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has distributed relief materials and financial support worth about ₦70 million to victims of the communal crisis in Okporojo village, Oso-Edda community in Edda Local Government Area.
The intervention followed the violent clash between Okporojo and neighbouring Amasiri community on January 29, which reportedly claimed four lives and left several residents displaced.
Flagging off the distribution at the Old Government House, Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru, represented by the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Moses Ije-Odunwa, said the gesture was aimed at cushioning the effects of the crisis and helping victims rebuild their lives.
He noted that the assistance should not be interpreted as favouritism towards the Okporojo people, stressing that the government values every Ebonyi citizen equally.
The governor urged residents of the affected communities to avoid further provocation and embrace peaceful coexistence, emphasizing that no amount of bloodshed was worth a piece of land. He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in the area.
The State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs. Ann Aligwe, whose ministry coordinated the distribution of funds and relief materials, disclosed that the intervention targeted 57 displaced persons affected by the attack.
According to her, Governor Nwifuru approved the sum of ₦70 million through the Ministry of Human Capital Development and Monitoring in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency for the procurement of relief materials for the victims.
Aligwe explained that families of the four persons who lost their lives received ₦2 million each, while those whose houses were destroyed were given between ₦500,000 and ₦1.5 million depending on the level of damage.
She added that each affected family also received five bundles of zinc, foams, bags of rice and wrappers to assist them in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.
“The governor is providing these materials to help you rebuild your homes and start a new life. This support should not be used as an opportunity to renew the crisis, as the governor desires peace across the state,” she said.
Responding to questions from journalists, the commissioner clarified that the relief items were funded entirely by the Ebonyi State Government, noting that the state was yet to receive support from the National Emergency Management Agency.
Meanwhile, the member representing Edda East State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Stephen Orji Igwe, called on the government to urgently demarcate the boundary between Okporojo and Amasiri communities to prevent future clashes.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of Edda North Development Centre, Mrs. Cecilia Nkama-Ude, commended Governor Nwifuru for the swift intervention, noting that the relief materials would help affected families rebuild their lives and recover from the trauma of the crisis.
Some of the beneficiaries, including the bereaved wife of Ekuma Anthony and Eze Orji Ndukwe, thanked the governor for the gesture and assured that the community would sustain peace in the area.