ABIA STATE (INTERNALLY DISPLACED): NEMA ASSURES ISU COMMUNITY OF FG QUICK INTERVENTION

The National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA] has assured the people of Isu Community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State who are Internally Displaced that the Federal Government will do everything within its powers to ensure that relieve materials are provided to them so as to ameliorate their plight as a result of the lingering crises between the Community and Utuma Clan in Cross River State.  

NEMA Coordinator in charge of Abia/Imo Operations Owerri Zonal Office Mr. Evans Ugoh Ignatius who gave the assurance when he led some members of staff of the Agency to the Community on a fact finding assessment of the situation of things there, explained that henceforth, the Federal Government will never leave the people of Isu Community to suffer again.

He used the medium to call on the National Boundary Commission to as a matter of urgency leave up to its expectation by delineating the boundary between the Community and her neighboring Clans of Cross River State to avoid further bloodletting in the area, and thanked Abia State Government and the security personnel in the area for their efforts so far made to bring peace to the people.

Speaking earlier, the Minority Whip/Member Representing Arochukwu State Constituency in the Abia House of Assembly Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha thanked the Abia State Governor Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu and the State Emergency Management Agency whom he said are very much aware and concern of the people’s plight, and their effort to seek for ways to broker peace in his collaborative effort, stressing that the quick response by the State Commissioner of Police to deploy troops in the  affected community is most appreciated.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary SEMA Abia State Mr. Sunday Jackson explained that there has been a serious collaboration between SEMA and NEMA and expressed confidence that things will be well again in Isu Community.

He described the Isu situation as a Complex Humanitarian Emergency due to the number of lives that have been lost as well as those Internally Displaced Persons and call on the FG to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of Isu people to enable them have a sense of belonging.

On his part, the Traditional Ruler of Obieze Isu Autonomous Community in Isu Ancient Kingdom Eze Mortimor Ogbonnaya who spoke on behalf of other Traditional Rulers in the area thanked NEMA for their finding time to visit the Internally Displaced Persons of the Community.

The Royal father further explained that at the beginning of the crises between Isu and their neighboring Utuma and Ukwa, he had visited their office at Abuja as well as the Inspector General of Police Office to provide security for them, adding that not much was done and expressed delight that with the presence of the officials in the area, there is a sign of relieve for them.

Earlier in his remark, the President General of Isu Progressive Union Elder Felix Okoro explained that the people of Utuma in Cross River State attacked the people of Iheosu in Isu clan on 18th of April 2018, burning down their houses and rendering them homeless due to a limestone that was discovered in the area which Utuma Clan have been claiming ownership.

He further said that as a result of the unprovoked attack done on them, Amachi and Ugbu people and many more in Isu were displaced while about 40 persons had so far died in the attack, regretting that the Internally Displaced Persons in the area have been squatting at a Primary School in the area and Utughuiyi area of Isu as others have been forced to scatter around Arochukwu and Ututu and call on the government to come to their aid.

In their separate speeches in an interview, some of the Internally Displaced Persons in the area such as Mrs. Rose Uzoh, Ozoemelam Kalu, Eze Sunday and Madam Felicia Kalu Nwankwo called on the government to intervene in their plight.

They explained that ever since 2018, they have been suffering due to their inability to visit their farmlands for fear of not being attacked.

The people said they want both NEMA and SEMA to provide food and shelter, as well as adequate security for them to enable them heave a sigh of relieve.

Correspondent reports that during the visit, the officials were taken round the places were the displaced persons are camped and also have an interactive session with some of them.