Umahi begs for additional soldiers to curtail killings arising from Ebonyi/Cross River boundary disputes

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Ebonyi state Governor,Chief  David Umahi, today made a passionate appeal to the Chief of Army Staff,Lt -Gen.Tukur Buratai to deploy more soldiers to assist in curtailing  the reoccurring  inter-state  boundary dispute between Ebonyi and Cross River states. He lamented the dispute has destroyed many lives and properties of border communities in the state.

 Umahi made the appeal while speaking at the event of commissioning of an  Urban Water Treatment Plant built at 82 Division of Nigeria Army Headwaters base in Enugu,by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.




The Ebonyi state governor,Dave Umahi, said  he purposely decided to  table  the precarious state of  the Ebonyi/Cross River states  boundary dispute before the Chief of Army staff, to plead for his urgent intervention by deploying more soldiers to the troubled areas.



Umahi said that it was unacceptable that people would be killed with impunity over boundary disputes, tens of houses destroyed.

He requested that a significant number of troops be further deployed to the affected areas and communities to avert further bloodshed.

He noted that the soldiers sent to the warring communities were drafted from one of the military barrack in the state, a situation he said had rendered the barrack almost empty.


“We have a very disturbing situation over our boundary with Cross River that it has gotten to the time to say there is war between the two states if nothing is done.It is disheartening to see our people killed and their houses burnt'


'Give us more soldiers to enhance security of lives and people living along the Ebonyi/Cross River boundary communities.The barracks are empty,We want more soldiers deployed to Ebonyi state to help in securing our people living in the boundary communities', Umahi pleaded..



Umahi also pleaded with the Chief of Army staff,Lt Gen.Buratai to furnish  his administration with every detail concerning the parcel of land secured for the Nigerian army at Izzi community of the state,so that the state government will defend the army on issues pertaining to its transaction.