From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River State government has sued for peace resolution of all border clashes with neighbouring states of Ebonyi and Benue States.
Speaking when the Cross River/Ebonyi Youths Peace Development Movement paid him a courtesy call in his office, the Deputy Governor, Hon. Peter Odey, enjoined Nigerians to mitigate communal clashes and embrace dialogue that will lead to peaceful co-existence
The Deputy Governor stated that there is no war that is “good war’ and as such communal clashes should be nibbed in the bud before they escalate.
He disclosed that the Cross River state has concluded arrangements to set up a border agency that would be tasked with consulting with border communities across the states with boundary issues and dialogue to find lasting peace to the areas involved.
Recalling that while he was in the Cross River State House of Assembly, he led the delegation that went to Ebonyi State during the crisis between a community in Obubra LGA (CRS) and another community in Ebonyi state, he expressed satisfaction that the efforts of his team and other stakeholders over the years have yielded results today.
The Deputy Governor commended the Peace Movement for their dedication in pursuing lasting peace between the warring communities of Cross River and Ebonyi States, saying it is worthy of emulation.
Speaking, the leader of the Organization, Barr. Pascal Nwenyi, said they have been able to record some successes so far as there has been no altercations between communities in the two states.
Barr. Nwenyi said the organisation has interfaced with the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the National Border Commission (NBC) to visit the affected areas so as to educate the people on the negative effects of war.
Also speaking, a critical stakeholder from Obubra community and the patron of Cross River/Ebonyi Youth Peace Development, Chief Hon. Ernest Irek, said they were here because they are aware that issues of conflict resolution and border matters rest with the Office of the Deputy Governor.
According to Chief Irek, “Today, even during the dry season, we stayed back, closed our eyes and people were drinking from their ponds, we are quite excited.”
The Cross River/Ebonyi Youth Peace Development Movement was established in July 2017 after the clashes that ravaged the sister states.
The Peace Movement involves Yala, Obubra, and Abi LGAs in Cross River, on the one hand, and lzi, Abakaliki and lkwo LGAs in Ebonyi State, on the other.