Delta Legislature Calls for Increase in Security in Warring Communities
Asaba: The member representing Ukwuani Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly Hon. Dr. Alphonsus Ojo has called on the state Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to urge the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command to deploy more police officers and men to the two communities of Amai/Eziokpor in Ukwuani LGA, to forestall further break down of Law and order in the area.
The Motion brought before the House, which he termed a Motion of Urgent Public importance, he said the presence of the extra security will help to restore and also maintain peace and order in the area.
He also called on the governor, to set up a Committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of the annual dispute between the two brotherly neighbours with a view to bringing a permanent solution to the crises.
In moving the motion, which was seconded by the Majority Whip of the House Hon. Ruben Izeze, Hon. Ojo noted that the Amai and Ezhiokpor communities are neighbouring towns sharing a common boundary and are at loggerheads over the ownership of farmlands demarcating the two communities.
He further stated that this crisis dates back to the early 20th century and attempts by successive governments to resolve the crisis has yielded no result as no absolute peace has been achieved.
The house member recalled that in 2009 the crisis deteriorated to a full blown war between the two communities resulting in loss of precious human lives and destruction of properties worth millions of naira, which at the time he also moved a motion calling for government intervention.
He said that the 2009 motion led to the drafting of law enforcement agents to the two communities and the setting up of a Committee to review the immediate and remote causes of the crisis, unfortunately the report of the Committee and its recommendations was not made public.
Dr. Ojo stated that there had been skirmishes of the crisis between the two communities at a low grade level which if urgent steps are not taken would result in the escalation of the crisis which may lead to catastrophic consequences.
Basing his argument on S. 14 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), stated that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
It could be recalled that a similar motion, earlier raised by the member representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, at the National Assembly, Hon Ossai Nicolas Ossai, earlier called on the inspector General of Police to draft security men to the area to forestall any further crises, as it had already claimed one life.
That motion was met with resistance from some quarters, and called the motion an act to create an unnecessary tension between the two communities.
But that earlier motion, according to some senior citizens from the area, helped to curtail the tension, as the IG of Police, directed mediation between the two communities by the state police command, which was handled by the Area Commander, Asaba.
