Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 21, 2004.
Imo warns communities against
crisis
By Ben Duru
Correspondent, Owerri
Autonomous communities not ready to maintain the peace will
incur the wrath of the government if they cause any crisis, Imo State Deputy
Governor, Chief Ebere Udeagu has warned.
He said
government is bent on ensuring that peace reigns in the state and that it would
not spare any individual or groups whose activities threaten the peace.
Receiving the
report of the judicial panel of inquiry into the Lagwa Ezeship crisis in Aboh
Mbaise Local Government area of the state, Udeagu said government is pleased
that the panel did a thorough job and submit its report within the one-year
time frame given it in spite of the sensitive nature of their assignment.
The panel was inaugurated in August 2003 after the election
of a traditional ruler for the Lagwa/Okwuato community ended in a serious
crisis.
He assured members of the panel that government would
carefully study the report to ensure that it serves the best interest of all
Imo indigenes to live in peace with their neighbours.
“Imo is
traditionally reputed as the most peaceful state in the country and we intend
to let it remain so because of investments that are coming in,” he said.
Udeagu said
government does not appoint traditional rulers for the people but that it
recognises them after being duly selected by the people.
The deputy
governor said government has been magnanimous and generous in administering the
state and that whoever takes that for granted will be severely dealt with.
The chairman of
the panel, Justice Davidson Onyema, said the findings are contained in four
volumes. Volume one contains the main report, volume two has the verbatim
report and volumes three and four contain the exhibits tendered in the course
of proceedings.
Onyema said the
panel, that had Felix Attah (State Security Services), E. Obia (Nigeria Police)
and P.C. Nwogu as secretary, received about 110 audiotapes that were turned in
to the government.
He expressed
the hope that the panel’s work would help to bring lasting peace to
Lagwa/Okwuato community and that it was important to restore confidence in the
ability of brothers to live together in peace.
The crisis that
engulfed the otherwise peaceful community last year over the election of the
traditional ruler led to the torching of several houses, markets and loss of
lives.
