Date Published: 07/28/09
Sponsors of Ebonyi Crisis and abuse of women, young girls
By Ben-Bright Mkpuma, bbmkpuma@yahoo.com
As crisis of different shapes ranging from anti-western education,
resource control to communal clashes, spread across Nigerian state,
Ezza-Ezillo, in Ebonyi state, Southern Nigeria has become unsafe for its
citizens, friends and associates of the state.
The one and half year old conflict, which has so far claimed of 500 lives started as a resulted of two friends to agree on how call centre canopy
should be erected to accommodate each other.
A thorough investigation into the root causes of the crisis and those
behind it has just been concluded. It was discovered that highly placed
business men, politicians and Ebonyi state government are strongly behind
the killings of these one family who have been living together for more
than 100 years.
It was discovered that there is always a renewed clashes in Ezza-Ezillo
each time there is allocation to local government area, from the state
government, when new arms and ammunitions are acquired and Militants are
recruited from the Niger Delta to fight aganist the Ezzas; and Jobless
youths are engaged from Benue and Kogi states to fight the Ezzas.
The current chairman of Ishielu local government area, the headquarters of
Ezza-Ezillo has vowed to wipe out Ezzas out of Ishielu and out of map of
Ebonyi. It was learnt from one of the aides of Governor Martin Elechi
that the Governor has in his wisdom endorsed the actions of the local
government chairman, to invest his local government funds in the purchase
of arms and ammunition, to wipe out the Ezzas from Ebonyi.
According to the aide, who hails from Ikwo in Ebonyi, the governor and
the local government boss, the Ezzas are crazy expansionist, adding that
Ezzas are actually hardworking group of people, who undertake to do any
kind of job to earn a living rather engaging into armed robbery and other
illegal activities.
From Anambra, Enugu, Cross Rivers, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Sokoto, Kaduna,
Kano, Abuja to Benue, an Ezza man is seen engage in legitimate job in
order to earn a meaningful living at the expense of stealing and
formenting troubles.
Other sponsors of the Ezza-Ezillo crisis, according to intelligent reports
are some politicians from Abakaliki zone, comprising Ezza North, South,
Central at the House of Representatives, Abuja and some of those at the
state House of Assembly.
A Presidential source last night informed that President Yar’Adua has
been briefed by the State Security Services on the skirmishes going in
Ebonyi state. According to the source, several attempts to summon the
state governor Martin Elechi have been greeted with excuses. It was learnt
that the President has ordered that Senator Jim Nwobodo, a one-time
executive governor of old Anambra state be briefed on the matter to ensure
that these ugly situation is put to end, and protect the Ezza race.
The Ezzas, who are in the majority in the state, are facing serious
challenges. Their children in Ezza-Ezillo are denied access to school and
their safety is not equally guaranteed in private schools in the area.
Their women and young girls are also being raped on hourly basis. Can the
President Yar’Adua folds hands and watch the people of Ezza killed.
What is the position of the Nigerian constituition in this reagard?
