THE Ebonyi State Government has condemned the abduction of five villagers over the boundary crisis between the people of the Oso Edda community in Eda local government area and their neighbours Amasiri community in the Afikpo local government area of the state.

The State Deputy Governor Princess Patricia Onyemaechi Obila who disclosed this at the weekend at a peace meeting at the Afikpo local government secretariat warned that the government would sanction any political office holders in the area if those abducted last week were not immediately released.

The peace meeting was attended by the chairmen of Afikpo LGA, Nwachi Timothy and his Edda counterpart, Hon Chima Ekumankama with their traditional rulers and stakeholders, where the Deputy Governor stated that the government would not encourage lawlessness by any community.

She wondered why the issue of land should create disagreements with brothers to the extent of killing their kith and kins.

She assured the commitment of the state government towards restoring peace in such communities.

The chairman Afikpo local government, Nwachi Timothy in a remark condemned the action of the Oso community in abducting 5 persons made up of three from Amasiri and two from Cross River State and warned against the excesses of the youth in the community and asked for their unconditional release.

He enjoined the community not to thwart the efforts of the government at a peaceful resolution of the crisis between them and their Amasiri brothers.

The chairman of Edda, Hon Chima Ekumankama in his response condemned the attack from the Idima community in Oso and pledged to get into the roots of the matter.

The two development council coordinators from the affected communities, Hon Baron Ogbonnia and Mrs Nkama Nkama Ude restated their commitments at restoring normalcy in the area. (Vanguard)