Crisis: Ebonyi govt. vows to grant amnesty to Ezza, Effium warriors, set to release detainees

Ebonyi State government led by governor, Francis Nwifuru on Thursday has tasked the warriors of Ezza and Effium community to drop their guns and embrace peace.

The state government made this known through it’s committee on white paper implementation led by the Attorney general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Ben Odoh, during the signing of peace pact between Ezza and Effium stakeholders that took place at the old government house Abakaliki.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that the two groups; Ezza and Effium has been into war for close to three years.

It was gathered that the war had resulted to the killings of thousands of people and destruction of valuable properties worth billions of naria.

The chairman of the white paper implementation committee, Ben Odoh who spoke to newsmen shortly after the signing of the peace pact, said that the state government is willing to ensure the release of persons arrested in connection to the crisis.

He said that the state government is also willing to grant amnesty to the Ezza, Effium warriors, only if they will surrender their guns and allow peace to prevail.

According to him: “we have achieved oneness between Ezza and Effium people. We had several meetings at several times with them differently, the Ezza group and the Effium group. We have been able to sign the peace pact.

“We read the peace pact, which is in consonant with the white paper and they have all signed, which means, they are ready for us to move into Effium to implement every letter in the white paper of the state government.

“The peace pact agreement is different with the white paper. The white paper has not been given to them, if there is anything else that is anti-people with their believe (Ezza) they know how to follow due process. 

“We have achieved a thing today, this is because, government wants to grant amnesty and have a disarmament program, if people are not willing to do so, or show commitment, we can’t go ahead to so.

“Government is putting in place disarmament program, and we are also putting in place amnesty program. The essence of this, is to make the warriors that are in the pushing fighting to surrender their guns willingly. When they surrender their guns willingly, government will forgive them. And government will de-radicalize because they are radical already.

“And those of the warriors that are already detained at the custodian centres, and the governor Francis Nwifuru will pardon them, and then they will be released, and these are prices for Peace” he stated.