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The women of Effium and Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have made a passionate appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of their husbands and children currently languishing in prison.
The intractable war between the two neighbouring communities of Effium and Ezza-Effium started in 2021, with many lives lost and properties worth billions of naira damaged.
The last administration of former Governor David Umahi made frantic efforts to resolve the crisis, but killings, maiming and destruction continue unabated in the two warring communities.
Many people from the two communities were arrested and remanded in prisons.
The detainees, 177 of them from Ezza and 85 from Effium, have been awaiting trial for four years.
About 10 of them have reportedly died in detention, while many have gone blind and some are suffering from different diseases due to a lack of medical care.
Their wives, while protesting, said life has become so difficult for them since their husbands and children, who are among the detainees, were remanded.
They alleged that they have lost many children and husbands in detention and called on Governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene and ensure that they are released.
Mrs Uguru Blessing, from Effium, said: “My husband has been in prison for over four years now and I don’t know what to do. I really appreciate our governor for the kind of peace he has brought to Effium. I am so happy. I really appreciate him. He is a good man.
“One thing I am begging of him is that he should please help us. We are suffering, we are dying. My husband left four children for me and since then, I don’t know what I am doing. The burden for two people has become one person’s responsibility.
“My children have dropped out of school; they are at home because of my inability to pay their school fees. Our governor should please help us so that our husbands can be released.”
Mrs Kindness Ekpeta, from Ezza, also commended Governor Nwifuru for restoring peace in Effium and appealed to him for an intervention.
She alleged that over 10 of their husbands and children in the prison have died, while those that are alive are now very sick.
“I went there last Sunday to visit them and I shed tears because many of them are sick; many are blind because of lack of care. My promise to our governor is that we will continue to support efforts to bring peace to Effium,” she stated.
Other women, including Mrs Martha Nworie and Mrs Virginia Ufuo from Ezza, lamented that the detention of their husbands has brought untold hardship for them as they can no longer care for their children.
They also appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to assist in releasing their husbands and children, even as they commended him for restoring peace to the communities.
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