Early on Monday morning, elderly women from the Ishinkwo Autonomous Community in the Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State peacefully demonstrated against what they perceived to be deceptive actions by government representatives engaged in the ongoing land demarcation process between their community and the nearby Abaomege community.

Recall that as part of the terms of settlement outlined in the government white paper, the Ebonyi State government began demarcating the disputed land in an attempt to permanently resolve the unresolvable land dispute between the Ishinkwo and Abaomege communities in Onicha LGA, which has claimed numerous lives and properties valued at millions of naira.

In order to express their disapproval of the allegedly flawed demarcation exercise, the women stormed Ebonyi Government House in Abakaliki in large numbers. They carried placards with various inscriptions, including: “Gov Nwifuru, father of the State, please, come to our aid”; “Where is the map attached to the white paper?”; “Enough is enough to land grabbing, follow the white paper”; “Ekeroku, stop taking sides and be neutral”; “Return Ugwuekuma Primary School to Ishinkwo, it’s our ancient landmark; “Return Uda Iyiocha to Ishinkwo, it’s our land”; “Ogboffia is out to grab more lands for his community, it’s unfair”; “Ishinkwo Military pin-down ceded to Abaomege is an injustice,” and so on.

The women accused Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbofia, the Council Chairman of Onicha LGA, of conspiring with the land demarcation committee to seize Ishinkwo land for his Abaomege community. The women also marched to the State House of Assembly complex in Nkaliki to voice their grievances to the state lawmakers.

The women claimed that the current demarcation exercise is seriously flawed, completely skewed, and capable of undermining the government’s peace-building efforts in an open letter to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, signed by Mrs. Fidelia Nworie, the National President of the Women Wing of the Ishinkwo Community Development Union (ICDU), and 12 other people. The women made the letter available to journalists. They demanded that the governor step in.

Since “no one can place something on nothing and expect it to stand,” they claimed that the demarcation exercise was unlawful and void because Mr. Ekeroku, the state’s deputy surveyor-general, had carried it out without consulting the white paper, which served as its legal foundation.

Since no one can put anything on nothing and expect it to stand, the exercise is unlawful and void because the demarcation is being carried out without consulting the White Paper, which serves as its legal foundation.

Additionally, Mr. Ekeroku, the state’s deputy surveyor-general, has ignored the survey map, a crucial part of the White Paper. Mr. Ekeroku has openly refused to create the map in spite of all of our requests.

We wouldn’t have been too concerned if Mr. Ekeroku had chosen to conceal the map from both communities. Nonetheless, the aforementioned map is unquestionably in the custody of Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbofia, Chairman of the Onicha Local Government Area and a native of Abaomege. But the document is not even in the possession of our Traditional Ruler! We question what constitutes bias if this isn’t it.

The White Paper includes a list of the six swamplands that are at issue along with their names. But the boundary has been expanded to include our uplands, historic structures, historic monuments, and historic elementary schools, all of which Ekeroku falsely gave to Abaomege in collusion and active cooperation with Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbofia, the chairman of the Onicha Local Government.

The women, who were clearly upset, insisted that the White Paper’s survey map be made available to both communities in order to clear up any confusion on the demarcation and allow them to keep an eye on compliance. In order to guarantee openness, credibility, and rebuild their trust in the demarcation process, they also urged the Governor to remove Mr. Ekeroku, the head of the Demarcation Committee.

In addition, the women demanded that the site of the military pin-down that was given to Abaomege—possibly in error—be reversed, as well as their historic buildings and landmarks and primary school. If the local government chairman is earnest about his message of peace, they requested him to supervise the exercise impartially and to counsel his people to reconnect Ishinkwo to the national grid.

In addition to undermining the peace process, Mr. Ekeroku and Mr. Ogbofia’s activities have fostered suspicion and mistrust. In order to revitalize peacebuilding, we ask Your Excellency to step in,” the women continued.