The recent tragic death of a truck driver along the Ishiagu/Okigwe expressway adds to the long list of lives lost in the long-running communal conflict in Ebonyi State.
For over five decades, the people of Umuobor, Akaeze, and their neighboring communities in Ishiagu have been locked in a bitter dispute over a piece of fertile land, resulting in countless casualties and immeasurable destruction.
What was once seen as a local issue has gradually metamorphosed into a crisis of governance and security, demanding immediate intervention.
While Dr. Donatus Ilang, the state’s Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, has made efforts to restore peace, these efforts have proven insufficient to bring about lasting resolution.
This latest killing, along with threats of retaliation from truck drivers, is a stark reminder that the situation is escalating rather than subsiding.
What is needed now is not just condemnation of the violence, but a concrete, multifaceted approach to address the root causes of the dispute.
The state government, in collaboration with local leaders, must intensify peace talks, bring all stakeholders to the table, and ensure that law enforcement is adequately equipped to prevent further violence.
The time for promises of peace is over; it is time for action!
The people of Ebonyi State deserve a future free from fear, where their security is guaranteed, and where they can live and work in harmony.
The status quo must change, and it must change now.
