As a way of curbing communal clashes in the state, the Chairman of Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Prince Chima Ekuma, read the riot act.
The villages he read the riot act to are Amaeta and Ogiri in the council, which have been involved in intractable communal clashes.
The chairman said the land behind the crisis between the people of Amaeta and Ogiri villages is now a neutral ground.
This was made known at Edda North Development Centre secretariat, Oso Edda, while addressing the stakeholders of Amaeta and Ogiri villages.
Additionally, the council boss vowed that with the help of security agencies in the state, he will penalise any native of both villages that violate the directives.
According to him, “By the power conferred on me as Chairman of Edda Local Government Area, where these two neighbouring villages are located, I hereby declare the land in dispute a buffer zone, from now onwards.
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“It means no native from either Amaeta village or Ogiri village should enter into the area, for farming or any other activity until further notice.
“Take this decision very seriously. Don’t taste the waters. Don’t try the government. If anybody goes against this order, I will instruct the security agencies to deal with such a person. It’s in your own best interest not to violate this directive,” he stated.
Meanwhile, leaders of the two ‘warring’ villages have signed an undertaking to ensure a peaceful co-existence in the area.
The undertaking was signed by Chief Uduma Agwu and Mr Clement Eze for Amaeta village, as well as Chief Ude Orji and Osuu Ama Okoro for Ogiri village.
Earlier, the clash between the villages have caused damages to lives and properties of natives of Amaeta and Ogiri.