Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki

Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, has appealed to the warring communities Ebonyi and Cross River States to sheath their swords and embrace peace.

He said that the federal government has launched investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the age-long fracas between them with a view to proffering lasting solution to the problems.

The minister made the appeal while addressing the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who camped at Oshiegbe Primary School, Onunwakpu in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

“As I can see here, the bulk of these victims are women and children and I want to assure you that federal government is not happy about your situation. It is very sad because in this country, there should be freedom for everybody to leave his life in accordance with the law.

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“And whereby people are displaced from their homes in whatever circumstance, it is not something that will make us sleep well. This is why I want to assure that federal government will put heads together with your state to do everything possible to ensure that you are resettled back to your homes and continue your normal life.

“Two, to ensure that what happened will not happen again so that nobody will harass you, nobody will uproot you from your home so that you will continue your normal life. Nobody gains when there is crisis, any side that thinks he is gaining in this crisis is just deceiving himself because nobody gains”, he said.

Receiving the minister in Government House, the state Governor, Chief David Umahi, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, and the minister, for their efforts to bring peace to the troubled areas.

He, however, advocated for the establishment of state police which he said would help in the security of lives and properties across the country.

“We need state police. This will solve a lot of problems. We in Ebonyi State are in support of state police”, he said.