PEACE RETURNS TO ALADJA, ISABA COMMUNITIES AFTER 43 MONTHS OF CRISIS

Peace has been brokered between Aladja and Isaba communities by the Delta State Government through the Office of the Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, with the signing of a pact to end over three years face off that had distanced the communities from each other. 

Speaking when he visited both communities in Udu and Warri South West Local Government Areas on a peace mission, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor, said  Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had invested so much in building a Stronger Delta, despite the ethnic diversity of the state.

He revealed that the state government  had successfully resolved over 85 percent of more than 300 inter and intra communal conflicts across the state, adding that the peace building effort of the Governor, as captured in the SMART Agenda, was yielding the desired result.

Chief Uzor assured the people that government would tar the road linking both communities among other things and enjoined the youth to always give peace a chance as conflict was inimical to development. 

The Special Adviser expressed optimism that the peace pact signed by both communities would endure so that they could coexist peacefully as was the case before the crisis.

The Chairman of Udu Local Government, Honourable Jite Brown and his Warri South West counterpart, Honourable Taiye Tuoyo, expressed gratitude to Chief Uzor and the state government for wading into the conflict, which had set both communities against each other since 2016. 

Similarly, the President General of Aladja community, Otto Ogbiruveta expressed the readiness of the community to abide by the peace pact, just as his counterpart from Isaba community; Henry Ofoleyon said the crisis had caused both communities enough losses.

Also speaking, a prominent son of Aladja community, Honourable Kingsley Orhere, enjoined both communities to live in peace, adding that they should use dialogue to resolve misunderstandings rather than take up arms against themselves, while Chief Boro Opudu from Isaba community thanked God for the reunion of both communities. 

The peace pact was jointly sealed by the Ovie of Udu kingdom, Emmanuel Delekpe, and the regent of Isaba kingdom, Chief John Ekpenzu, on behalf of both communities, and witnessed by the peace committee-led by Chief Uzor and members of both communities. 

The highlight of the peace pact was the re-opening of the Aladja-Isaba road for pedestrians and motorists.