By Etop Ekanem

Chairman, Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Opudu, has appealed to warring Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities to sheath their swords and embrace dialogue, saying, it’s dialogue that ends conflicts not war.

In a statement, on Wednesday, Opudu said: “The communal war is over land dispute which did not start today and so it is totally vindictive, malicious, mischievous and defamatory for ethnic champions to spoil my reputation by portraying me as a sponsor of the Aladja-Ogbe-Ijoh communal conflict. It bothers me most that the two hitherto friendly communities are currently at war, my resources are always being deployed towards timely cessation of hostilities between the two communities.

“Despite attempt to dent my image regarding the conflict, I shall still work with all relevant bodies to bring the senseless war to an end. We are brothers and sisters. Grievances are not usually addressed by resorting to war. It is dialogue that ends conflicts not war. Rather than fight, the two communities should key into the development programmes of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, which can impact on the people in a peaceful environment.”

On his alleged link with Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, the distinguished security czar said he had no link with the group, noting that NDA is a faceless and invisible body and so “it is not possible for me to have any link with it.

He added: “Enemies of progress and ethnic champions are at work to tarnish my image by wrongly linking me with NDA. I do not have and will never have any link with NDA. I I shall always work for peace and security. The false story linking me with NDA will never sway me from walking only on the peaceful and progressive lane which will create the enabling environment for rapid development in the society.”