CLO Condemns Clashes Between 2 Anambra Communities

Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), on Thursday, condemned what it called inhumane and horrendous destruction of lives and property during the inter-communal clashes between Anaku and Omor communities in Anambra.

The CLO Chairman in the state, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, gave the condemnation while speaking in Enugu on what he described as an unfortunate development.

According to Ezekwueme, CLO sues for peace and brotherly love among residents of the closely-related but now warring communities in Ayamelum Local Government Area of the state.

He said that Anambra had had enough crises, conflicts, most of which were avoidable, adding that urgent steps should be taken by stakeholders to ensure restoration of peace in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

“The causes and consequences of crises and destruction have been written so that men can learn how best to avert and avoid them.

“In the immutable assertion of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe that we should 'strive to always make friends, not enemies’, think the best, not the worst about others,’’ he said.

The CLO boss called on the traditional rulers’ council in the state to constitute a Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee to resolve conflicts among communities before it degenerated into physical conflicts.

He said, “The state boundary and adjustment commission should be reconstituted to make it more vibrant and be alive to its statutory responsibility.

“Worthy of note is that destruction of lives and property is alien to our religion, tradition, culture and belief as Igbo people.

“Relentless efforts should be geared towards ensuring that communities involved in the crises refrain from taking laws into their hands and embrace love, tolerance and cohesion’’.

Ezekwueme, however, sympathised with a former Chief Judge of Anambra, Retired Justice Paul Obidigwe who was reported to have been brutalised during one of the communal clashes.

“CLO prays for his prompt recuperation and reunion with his family,’’ he said.

Ezekwueme called for establishment of Youths’ Initiative for Peace, Harmony and Conflict Resolution to inculcate virtues of love, empathy, selflessness, peace, unity and cohesion in the younger generation.

“We also call for in-depth and discreet investigation into the dastardly act and prosecution of perpetrators, to forestall future occurrences,’’ he said.

Supreme recalls that Gov. Willie Obiano had, on May 18, imposed a 7 pm. to 6 am. curfew on Omor and Anaku communities.

The state police command had, on May 16, also confirmed three persons death during the clash between the two communities over land issue.

The police, however, said that normalcy had been restored in the area, adding that investigations had commenced on the matter.