The Ebonyi government on Wednesday, donated 100 motorcycles to security agencies for improved operations in the conflict-ridden Effium community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, state Commissioner for Border, Peace and Internal Security said, during the presentation in Abakaliki, that the measure would assist in quelling the Effium, Ezza-Effium intra communal conflict.
Okoro-Emegha said that the security agencies had complained of difficulties experienced in accessing remote areas of the community where much of violence was recorded.
“There are several areas that cannot be accessed with vehicles and the state government heeded to the complaints of security agencies.
“20 motorcycles were allotted to soldiers on duty in the area, 30 motorcycles to the police while 50 were allotted the state’s neighbourhood security watch,” he said.
The commissioner said the government and security agencies’ collaboration has returned considerable calm to the troubled community.
“The state deputy governor regularly visits the area for on-the-spot assessment and we are happy that normalcy has returned.
“The motorcycles would still be deployed in generally securing the state whenever the Effium, Ezza-Effium conflict is permanently quelled,” he said.
He maintained that some phones retrieved at the Umogodoakpu community of the same Ohaukwu LGA were being used to track the perpetrators of the recent killings in the area.
“The perpetrators shot at the soldiers deployed to restore normalcy in the area and this makes the government maintain that the attackers are from the bordering community of Benue,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Effium, Ezza- Effum conflict which started in January, has led to several deaths and destruction of property worthy millions of naira.
Unknown gunmen also recently invaded the Umuogodoakpu community, killing four persons and destroyed several property. (NAN)
