NAN-H-26
Relief
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, July 31, 2017 (NAN) The Ebonyi government on Monday in Abakaliki distributed N20 million worth of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by a dispute between two communities in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a land dispute between the people of Ogiri and Okporojo communities in Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state had left many people displaced.
No fewer than 40 lives were also lost and property worth millions of naira destroyed in the dispute which broke out between the neighbouring communities in May.
The state Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, represented by his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, while presenting the materials to the victims, called on the over 130 communities in the state to live in peace.
He said that the government was spending much to maintain security of lives and property of the citizenry, and urged the people to live in harmony with one another.
“We are doing a lot to change the state for good and also touch lives.
“What security is taking from this government is so much that any other government would have collapsed because in all our border communities, there are crises and the government has been providing security in all these flashpoints.
“The government ensures the welfare of the security agencies in these areas,” Umahi said.
He, however, warned that the government would not tolerate anyone or community frustrating its efforts.
NAN reports that relief materials donated to the IDPs include cartons of noodles, bags of rice, wrappers, and mattresses, among others.
Each household affected in the crisis also received N100, 000.
The Chairman of the local government, Mr Eni-Uduma Chima, commended the government for the gesture.
He said that normalcy had since returned to the two warring communities.(NAN)
ODO/IFY/SOA
Edited by Ify Omowole/Oluwole Sogunle