Peace C’ttee Raises Alarm Over Insecurity In Community

The Peace, Reconciliation and Rehabilitation Committee set up by Eze (Dr.) Felix Enene Otuwarikpo, Eze Igbu Upata III to reconcile aggrieved groups in Ula Ikata community in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State has raised alarm over the massive destruction in the community.
The committee lamented that the incessant killings and destruction of lives and property in the community had created a 35 year retrogression of development.
The Chairman of the committee, Dr. Chigozie Edward-Odoi who visited the community with other members of the committee, condemned the perpetrators of the violence that killed over 20 persons and destroyed the entire community.
Edward-Odoi bemoaned the carnage. “As I stand here, Ula Ikata people have no ancestral home. They killed children, old and young men and women and went on to destroy every building including churches and shrines. There is no human being in this village”,he noted angrily.
Describing the situation as a major setback especially as hired mercenaries sacked the people and took over the place as their hideout, he questioned why the hoodlums refused to take advantage of the state government’s amnesty to turn a new leaf.
He commended Eze Otuwarikpo for his bold peace efforts, expressing anger on what he termed  “senseless  adventure” that has reduced the community to rubbles.
He appealed to non-governmental organizations, National Emergency Relief Agency (NEMA), United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNICEF), local authorities and Governor Nyesom Wike to back the peace initiative of the Igbu Upata monarch.
He however advised indigenes of the village to accept the peace now offered by Eze Otuwarikpo, warning against further escalation of violence.
Edward-odoi further urged the people to always be vigilant and report suspicions to appropriate authorities, even as he stressed the need for them to build synergy among themselves.
In his remark during the committee’s boundary tour of the community,a member of the committee, HRH Kelvin Anugwo called for collaboration in efforts to rebuild the community, saying that the worst affected victims of the crisis are the children who are traumatized and are no longer in school.
Anugwo who decried the total destructions caused by the crisis, pleaded on well placed Nigerians, groups and governments to rally round in support of Eze Otuwarikpo by providing relief materials,shelter,food,building materials to enable the people come back  home.
Recall that the Ula Ikata once a peaceful community was plunged into violent land tussle. The people are now refugees scattered in neighboring communities but the emergence of Eze Otuwarikpo as Eze Igbu Upata seem to have given the people hope for early return of peace.
On ascension  to the throne,Eze Otuwarikpo inaugurated a special committee to among other things reconcile and rehabilitate indigenes of the crisis ravaged community. The committee members while on tour of the village,made their way through overgrown weeds that hitherto was paved pathway.