The Ikuru-Town, Asuk-Oyet and Asuk-Arna Communities in Andoni Local Government Area, embroiled in a dispute with each other over a piece of Land for the establishment of Federal Technical College have resolved to live in harmony without further threat to Peace and order pending the determination and resolution of issues by a Peace Committee within two (2) weeks as the Andoni Local Government Council has waded into the disturbances rocking the three Communities.
The resolution was reached and undertaken signed on Thursday July 31st, 2014, in a Peace Meeting between the affected Communities and Andoni Local Government Security Council held at the council’s Secretariat, Ngo Town, the headquarters of the LGA.
The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Elder (Hon) Sampson Gilbert Egop while addressing the Peace Meeting has stressed the need for a Peaceful coexistence between the warring parties noting that the affected communities were related to each other through marriages and otherwise, appealing for understanding as God would always use human beings to mediate and resolve problems even at the court of law.
Elder Egop, while buttressing the necessity of dialogue revealed that the problems with human being was the inability to speak the “truth”, open up in sensitive matters and solving problems without spending monies elsewhere, calls for calmness while solutions for the needed Peace is being sorted out.
The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, who recalled similar incident during the immediate past administration noting that the problem rocking the three Communities was no longer new before the Security Council has, however appointed a Peace Committee headed by Chief (Barr.) F.A. Ene-Awaji Icherene-Ugane who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the Caretaker Chairman on Legal Matters, to look into the matter, broker Peace between the Communities and submit reports within two weeks as he urged the parties to peacefully make submissions to the Committee.
The Committee has the Secretary to the Council Mr. Arunga E. Arunga as its Secretary while the Special Assistant to the Chairman on Land Matters, Chief Amalaya Otu-Awaji and other Security Chiefs in the area comprising of the Police, SSS, JTF, Immigration, NSCDC as members.
However, the Chairman has again advised that clearing of the proposed project site in dispute remain suspended, pending the resolution by the committee, saying that any aggrieved party may go to court to seek for redress if not satisfied with the outcome of the committee’s report other than resorting to violence as it is inimical to Peace.
Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, Chairman of the Peace Committee, Chief (Barr.)F.A. Ene-Awaji Icherene-Ugane on behalf of the committee while thanking the Caretaker Chairman for the appointment, pledged the Committee’s commitment to justify the essence of peace, conducting the affairs of the committee without fear or favour and appealing to the parties to uphold peace, while inviting them to appear before the Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 5th and 6th 2014 at Obolo Hall by 10.00am prompt each day. Earlier in their separate speeches, HRH, King Aaron M Ikuru
(Paramount ruler of Ikuru Town), the Chairman, Community -Development Committee (CDC) of Ikuru Town, Elder Nathan J. Oke and Ikuru Sampson, youth leader representing Ikuru Town Community, Rev. Benjamin Nkpoukwuok, Snr, Apostle Gabriel Faah and Comrade Ijongo O. John of Asuk- Oyet Community and Asuk Nathan Sampson, CDC Chairman of Asuk-oyet Iyeoron B. Nteogwuile and Adulphus L. Ngor of Asuk-Ama Community who also signed the security undertaken have firmly resolved to tread the path of Peace and pledged cooperation with the Peace Committee to achieve success.
However, as at the time of filing this report, the Committee had on Wednesday 6/8/2014 paid an on the spot assessment visit to the land in dispute. ###.
