Piqued by the recent invasion on Egbeda Community in Emohua Local Government Area by suspected cultists that left gory tales of deaths and destructions, the Youth President of Egbeda Community, Comrade Friday Ovumgba has pledged to do everything within his powers to restore peace and tranquility in the area.
Fielding questions to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, Ovumgba condemned the activities of the ‘bad boys’ and appealed to them to turn a new leaf for the interest of Egbeda Community, emphasizing that no one who attacks or destroys his own community comes to any good end.
He however assured that his leadership would reach out to the boys wherever they are and persuade them
“We were inaugurated on the 5th of January, 2020 and five days later which is 10th of January, 2020, the boys attacked the community and burnt down the house of our Royal Highness and also whisked away one of chiefs who is yet to be seen till date”, he wailed, adding that the criminals also killed a boy and his mother.
The Egbeda Youths President said the youths are working in tandem with the Egbeda Security, Peace Advisory Committee (ESPAC), anti-Cultism Unit of the police as well as the military to rid the community of cultists and restore peace in the area.
“As a matter of fact, were it not for the presence of security agents, the killing and in Egbeda on that fateful day would have been more catastrophic because the boys came with the intention of killing the ESPAC members”, he said.
Ovumgba who is the Chairman of the All Keke Drivers Freedom Association disclosed that he had been receiving threatening messages and phone calls from the bad boys, but restated his commitment not to capitulate but to pursue peace with dialogue.
“They’ve been calling and threatening but my message to them is to repent. We as a community are not against them. But we tell them that anyone who has vowed that the community will not sleep will himself not also sleep. My message to them is to embrace peace. Nobody has made it in life through killing his own people or kidnapping and destroying his people.
“They should come home and join us to build Egbeda Community which was once the cradle of peace and tranquility”, he appealed.
Ovumgba expressed appreciation to the people of Egbeda who have joined efforts to crusade for peace in the area even as he revealed that plans are in the pipeline to hold a religious crusade in the area which would attract the presence of prominent religious leaders in the State.
“I thank our people most especially His Royal Highness, Christopher N. Didia and his Council of Chiefs; Councilor representing Egbeda, Hon. Humphrey Didi Aso; Hon. Friday Enyi and Amb. Innocent Woke among others”, he said.
