Date Published: 05/06/09

Let them resume school now!

PASCAL JOSEPH / ABAKILIKI

        The people of Ezza-Ezillo community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have sent a distress call to the government of Ebonyi State urging it to ensure that their children resume academic activities soonest.

        According to the spokesman of the community, Mr. Solomon Ogbuewu Nwankwo, the academic activities of the children of Ezaa-Ezillo have been disrupted since May last year when hostilities broke out between them and their Ezillo neighbours. “Since May last year when our Ezillo neighbours unleashed hostilities on us, the academic pursuits of our children have been disrupted. We are appealing to the government of Ebonyi State to intervene in this direction”, Mr. Nwankwo noted.

        He further expressed worries that while the children of their Ezillo neighbours have resumed academic activities since November last year, the fate of their children is hanging in the balance. He blamed this on the presence of the military which the Ezillo people are exploiting to their advantage.

        “The Ezza-Ezillo children are not going to school, while their counterparts from Ezillo are going to school because of the presence of the military. The military led by Lt. Saturday Fasunda are intercepting people from coming home. Around November last year Ezillo people resumed academic activities but Ezza-Ezillo children are yet to resume. They are suppose to give the ezza-Ezillo children the same leverage,” the spokesman noted.

        To further buttress the complicity of the soldiers in their light, the people narrated how the soldiers are obstructing people from engaging in their legislative economic activities. They also alleged that the soldiers are not giving the people assurance of protection.

        “The soldiers are obstructing people who want to engage in economic activities. The soldiers are not giving them assurance of protection. After the state broadcast the soldiers attitude have changed. What the government ought to have done is to rehabilitate us. The crisis of over but the government want to create an image that the crisis is continuing. The soldiers are to act as peace keepers and not to take side,” the people declared in dismay.

        According to a report on Monday 27 th April 2009 four men were allegedly arrested in possession of AK 47 rifles at Isimkpuma by 4.00pm. According to the report among them is a soldier attached to the military barracks at Nkwagu. The report further alleged that the mission of these gun men was to launch a deadly attack on the Ezzas

        The report is also pointing fingers on military sources as the sources of the ammunitions. The incident took a twist when Mr. Emmanuel Igwe, the publisher of National Issue Newspaper, a tabloid circulating in the state, was beaten up by the Commander Lt. Fasnda, who also frog jumped him and took away his digital camera worth N70,000.00.

        It is on the strength of the alleged involvement of Lt. Fasunda that a source urged the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army to summon him for disappointing it on the trust bestowed on him to protect the lives and property of the citizens and consequently show him the way our of the military. The sources also suggested the same punishment for his boys for failing their further land,” Lt. Fasunda as a matter of fact should be summoned by the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army for disappointing the trust bestowed on him to protect the lives and property of the citizens even to the expense of his own life and possibly shown the way out of the military while his boys receive the same punishment for failing their fatherland”, the source noted.

        Another revelation made by the report of the alleged involvement of highly placed Ebonyi Citizens in the crisis. According to the report a serving commissioner in Ebonyi State is allegedly linked with the sponsorship of the militants who perpetrate violence at Ezza-Ezillo. Also the chairman of Ishielu Local Government Council, Barrister Onwa Ali Onwa, and Ezillo Development Centre coordinator, Hon. Lawson Ede are  linked. “Other areas that call for urgent intervention is the area of speculations and allegations that the role of the chairman of Ishielu Local Government Area, barrister Onwa Ali Onwa and his Ezillo Development Centre coordinator, Hon. Lawson Ede have been not clear as their role is suspected to be questionable, “the report concludes.