Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has signed into law the creation of five new autonomous communities in Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, as a step to end the age-long communal crisis in the area, demarcation exercise, and a 25.5km boundary road between Effium and Alioma Ezekuna communities.
Signing the law in his office on Thursday, Governor Nwifuru, said the creation of Autonomous communities was to broker lasting peace in the troubled community.
Ezza-Effium and Effium have been devastated by intra-communal war, which lingered for about five years and remotely emanated from a dispute over the leadership of a popular motor park and commercial centre in the area.
The State Government set up a peace committee, which came up with certain recommendations, culminating in the State House of Assembly passing the law: “Ebonyi State Law 004 of 2025,” titled: “Ebonyi State and Effuim and Alioma Peace Pact, creation of Effium, Ekeyigwe, Ijeoma communities and Alioma Ezekuna Autonomous community.”
The law provides for the creation of five autonomous communities in the area, also providing for clear demarcation of the boundaries with an access road between Effium and Ezza-Effuim communities.
The governor condemned the attitude of one of the warring clans that opposed the creation of the autonomous communities and warned that his administration would not allow any group or person to sabotage the efforts of the government.
“I am particularly excited for a lot of reasons. Number one is that we have been able to champion peace with dignity and respect for humanity. The case of Effium and formerly known and called as Ezza-Effium, is a very unfortunate incident.”
“It is an incident caused by two individuals, people that were struggling for control of market and revenues in the motor park at Effium market and nobody knew that the case would turn out to be a very critical communal crisis the way it is now and it has consumed a lot of lives which no one ever wished for.”
“If anyone thinks he is God, let the person dare us as a government. We will use every available means to bring peace to that land,” the governor warned.