By Leonard Okachie
The ADC Governorship Candidate in Abia, Bishop Ndukwo Onuoha, has called for the establishment of a peace and reconciliation commission to handle incessant military-civilian clashes in different parts of the country.
Onuoha made the call on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen during his visit to the displaced people of Amangwu in Ohafia Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the people, which included aged men and women, the sick, nursing and expectant mothers, are currently taking refuge in their neighbouring Amaekpu Ohafia Community.
They reportedly fled their homes after Thursday’s attack on the community allegedly carried out by military men from 14 Brigade, Ohafia.
Trouble was set to have started in the community, when a military personnel, who reportedly visited the community, allegedly got missing.
The development led to the alleged invasion of the community by soldiers said to be searching for their missing colleague.
Two members of the community, including a nursing mother, Uchechi Daniel, and a carpenter, Mr Ojo Uka, said that a youth got missing, while two persons sustained bullet wounds and were hospitalised, after the attack.
Daniel told newsmen that the army came in eight Hilux Vans and two Armoured Personnel Carriers to attack the community.
She also alleged that some houses and shops were vandalised by the military invaders.
“We all ran helter skelter to neighbouring villages for our dear lives, leaving all our personal effects, including clothes, behind” she said.
NAN learnt that the Traditional Ruler of the embattled community, Eze A. A Obobi, and youths have all gone into hiding, leaving the area completely deserted and desolate.
The Methodist cleric, who was in Ohafia to sympathise with the people, expressed sadness over the incessant hostilities between the military and its host community.
He said that there must be a permanent solution to such an ugly phenomenon in the area.
“This is not the first time this would happen.
“Unfortunately, the barrack has come to stay because you cannot ask the Federal Government to remove it.
“Also, Ohafia, as the host community, cannot be asked to vacate their land.
“It has become like the Catholic marriage, which has no provision for divorce,” Onuoha said.
He, therefore, advocated for the setting up of a commission to provide a platform for aggrieved parties to ventilate their anger rather than resort to violence.
“I see disaster here in Ohafia and every responsible Nigerian must rise to see to an end to this ugly trend.
“What I saw here breaks my heart.
“The earlier we address the restiveness between the army and host communities, the better for all of us,” Onuoha said.
He called for an urgent intervention by relevant government agencies, including the state Ministry of Health, to quickly provide health interventions.
“There is an immediate need for
humanitarian intervention to save these people, who have fled their homes and clustered in one place.
“If nothing is done quickly, we will soon have health emergencies on our hand,” the clergyman said.
He described the incident as man-made and avoidable, pointing out that such an ugly development should not happen between the military and its host community.
Onuoha, who recalled the horrendous experience of the civil war, when he was four, regretted that people were still made to flee their homes in the country, 54 years after.
According to him, if there are bad elements in the community, the military should use intelligence mechanism to fish them out rather than engage in acts that threatened the lives and peace of the entire natives.
Onuoha urged the displaced persons to remain calm and pray for God’s urgent intervention.
He assured them that he would forward the situation report concerning their plight to appropriate state and federal government authorities.
“I will send the report about the incident in your community to the state and federal governments for their intervention for peace and security to return to your community.
“We will make arrangements for the Ministry of Health to provide medicare, especially to the sick amongst you,” Onuoha said.
He prayed for them and assured them that peace would soon return to their community so they could return to celebrate the Yuletide in their homes.
At the palace of the Traditional Ruler of Amaekpu Ohafia, Eze Uduma Kalu, Onuoha thanked him for providing shelter and food for the affected persons in his community.
He described the situation as a major challenge to all the President-Generals, royal fathers and prominent sons and daughters of Ohafia to find a lasting solution to the perennial crisis.
In a remark, Kalu described the cause of the unending clashes between the military and Ohafia people as “fundamental”.
He blamed the problem on the failure by the military authorities to handle agitations by the natives through dialogue.
“They always resort to jungle justice, killing small flies with a sledgehammer, killing and maiming our people.
“People are using wrong approach to treat the problem.
“If people agitate, you call them for dialogue and hear their grievances.
“If you say that your officer is missing, you use your intelligence gathering techniques to find out.
“It is not for you to roll out your amoured vehicles and begin to suppress and kill the people.
“This is wrong approach to human problem,” the royal father said.
In a brief telephone interview, the Spokesman for the brigade, Lt. Innocent Omale, merely told newsmen that he was “not in the picture”. (NAN)
