Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has granted freedom to approximately 180 individuals detained at the state correctional center due to the prolonged Effium and Ezza-Effium communal conflict in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
These detainees, arrested and prosecuted since February 2021, were released as part of the governor’s peace-building efforts. In addition to their release, Governor Nwifuru has pledged to empower them in a forthcoming event to help them reintegrate into society.
To further resolve the conflict, the governor has approved the creation of autonomous communities for both factions and plans to appoint traditional rulers for them.
The release process began on February 5, 2025, following court proceedings across the state. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odoh, ordered their discharge from the Abakaliki Correctional Center due to insufficient evidence.
In a letter to Magistrate Lynda Ogodo, Odoh stated that the available proof of evidence did not substantiate charges of conspiracy and war-related offenses under the state’s criminal laws. Consequently, he requested the court to summon the defendants and formally discharge them.
