Alleging that they are ‘dying in droves’, some Ebonyi State women from Effium and Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have appealed to the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru to use his good offices to effect the release of their husbands and children from long detention over the lingering communal clashes between the two neighbouring communities.
Daily Query reports that a communal war in which many lives have been lost and properties worth billions of naira destroyed, erupted between Effium and Ezza-Effium in 2021 and has remained practically unresolvable since then.
According to inquiries, the immediate past administration of former Governor David Umahi, now Minister of Works, made efforts to resolve the crisis to no avail, leading to the persistence of killings, maiming and destruction between the two sister-communities.
Following the incessant clashes, some 177 people from the two communities were arrested and remanded in prisons, 92 of them from Ezza while 85 are from Effium.
They have been in detention for about four years, awaiting trial that is taking quite a long time to come.
According to reports, about 10 of the detainees have died in detention, some gone blind while some others are said to be suffering from different diseases for lack of medical care.
Calling on Governor Nwifuru to intervene, the women said life has become very unbearable for them since their husbands and children, among the detainees, were remanded, urging the Governor to intervene to secure their release, so as to save their loved ones, many of whom, they said, have already died in detention, from further uncertain deaths.
“My husband has been in prison for over four years now and I don’t know what to do,” cried Mrs. Blessing Uguru, from Effium who said her husband was sent to prison four years ago.
“I really appreciate our Governor for the kind of peace he has brought in Effium. I am so happy, I really appreciate him, he is a good man.
“One thing I am begging him is to please the detainees, help us. We are suffering, we are dying. My husband left four children for me and since then, I don’t know what I am doing. The load of two people has turned into one person’s.
“My children have dropped out of school; they are at home because of my inability to pay their school fees. Our governor should please help us so that our husbands can be released.”
While commending Governor Nwifuru for restoring peace in Effium, Mrs Kindness Ekpeta from Ezza appealed to him to intervene over the imprisonment of their husbands and children with a view to getting them released, alleging that over 10 of their husbands and children have died in detention, while those who are alive “are now very sick.”
“I went there last Sunday to visit them and I shed tears because many of them are sick, many are blind because of lack of care.
“My promise to our governor is that we will continue to be supportive of his effort to bring peace in Effium,” she wailed.
Other women who lamented that the detention of their husbands and children have brought their families untold hardships, as most of them could no longer cater for their children, also appealed to Governor Nwifuru to use his good offices to secure the release of their husbands and children from long detention without trial.
They were, however, unanimous in commending the Governor for his “fruitful” peace-building effort in the crisis-ridden area.
