By CHARLES IWUOHA

The people of Ishinkwo Community, in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have cried to the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, alleging that the ongoing demarcation exercise on the disputed land between them and their neighboring Abaomege Community, has been hijacked by people seating in the corridor of power against Ishinkwo Community.

The Community accused the land demarcation implementation Committee of totally ignoring the government white paper on the land dispute in favor of Abaomege Community.

This was contained in an open letter to the State Governor, which was read before journalists on Monday by President General of Ishinkwo Community Development Union, Comrade Itumo Joseph in company of the Youth President, Hon. Ndubuisi Awoh.

"The whole boundary demarcation exercise is being hijacked by influence, peculiar interest, clannishness, nepotism and sectional interest exhibited by those seated in the corridor of power against the Ishinkwo Community. And Ishinkwo, as a people, have been treated as not part of the electorate or governed by the governance in Onicha Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, and Nigeria at large.

"For instance, wherever the Abaomege Community claimed to be their boundary, the surveyors often hastily placed a caution tape and immediately ordered bulldozer operators to commence work on the claimed boundary, whereas they turned a deaf ear to the complaint of the Ishinkwo Community.

"Paragraph 2 of the official gazette white paper in considering proximity, Iyocha swamp land is nearer to Abaomege Community, and it was ceded to them, whereas Ekerigwe and Agbechicha are situated in the hinterland of Ugwuokwe village in Ishinkwo Community, but the Committee, in contrary to the white paper, went on to demarcate the two swamp lands and thereby planned to carve out four sub-villages from Ishinkwo Community and cede them to Abaomege Community. And we have been living and farming there, as well as burying our forefathers in those sub-villages for decades, and our houses are still presently in the area. The action entails pure rape of justice. We plead with the Ebonyi State Government to send a delegate to pay a visit to the area," the letter read in part.

The letter further added: "Your Excellency Sir, the concept of following a terrain, according to the boundary demarcation committee, is an excuse and decoy calculated to truncate the official gazette white paper in favour of the Abaomege Community. The terrain, as described in the white paper, is very explicit and precisely directed to commence from Amudo, the boundary between Ebonyi Central and Ebonyi South, and to terminate at Ebonyi River Head Bridge at Akpuoha, about 16 km along the area."

The Ishinkwo Community concluded the letter by praying the Governor to ensure proper implementation of the white paper and the five swamp lands captured in the white paper, namely; Igborkor, Idumayo, Eguachara, Obayi and Ngene Obenwa/Okobo, be shared accordingly.

"That while we plead that the correct thing should be done on the remaining portions to be demarcated, the areas already covered should be amended to bring it into agreement with the content of the white paper.

"That all the lands which never formed part of the disputed lands which are brought in for demarcation as highlighted in paragraph 14 of this open letter be left alone. This is the height of the injustice being foisted on our people in the ongoing exercise.

"That Ishinkwo Community is ready to accept the result of the demarcation process if it truly reflects what is contained in the official gazette white paper and otherwise," the People of Ishinkwo Community further urged the Governor.

They stated that all effort to reach the Governor has failed, hence the open letter, saying: "The boundary demarcation implementation committee has strived to conceal His Excellency's sight and knowledge from the process of the demarcation exercise and thereby jeopardized the procedure."

The open letter was signed by 15 stakeholders from the community. They are: Chief Anthony Obaji (Ndufu village head), Chief Innocent Igwe Okah (Onoko Village Head), Chief Emmanuel Ugota (Ugwuekuma village Head), Chief Ikechukwu Damian (Effium Village Head), Elder Linus Nwite (Amebor Kindred), Elder Edeh Abeja (Ome-Alegu Kindred), Elder Innocent Igwe Okpoko (Stakeholder) and Hon. Silas Igwilo (ICDU Secretary General)

Others are: Chief Douglas Ogodo (Elugwu Village Head), Chief Titus Nwadibia (Ugwuokwe Village Head), Chief Gabriel Onwe (Ndieguazu Village Head), Elder Nwali Nkwo (Nikewa Kindred), Elder Igwe Nwagu (Obura Kindred), Chief Fidelis Edeh (Stakeholder), Hon. Ndubuisi Awoh (Youth President) and Comrade Itumo Joseph Nwaliebu (ICDU President General).

The people equally commended the State Governor over what they described as his administration's dogged efforts aimed at maintaining peace and orderliness in every part of Ebonyi State.

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