The people of Ezza in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State under the platform of Ezza Unity Forum (EUF) has condemned and rejected what they described as provocative statement and ethnic profiling of their people by the government.

The Ezza Unity Forum was reacting to a statement allegedly describing Ezza people as “troublesome fighters or war mongers” as downrightly provocative.

In a statement released Tuesday and signed by the Umuezeoka, Ezza North LGA Chairman, Chief Williams Nweke, Ezza-Effium, Ohaukwu LGA), Secretary  Mr Cosmos Onele Nwagu, Oriuzor, Ezza North LGA, Financial Secretary, Mr Uchenna Nwite, Ezzaegu, Ishielu LGA, Publicity Secretar, Elder Francis Alegu, Barrister Friday Nwigboji, Ezza South LGA, Legal Adviser, demanded an apology from the governor.

“That we view with utmost disappointment and disdain, the comments and allusions allegedly emanating from the government against prominent Ezza sons concerning the protracted communal crises in Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State which has claimed thousands of lives, (particularly of our Ezza indigenes) and caused several property worth huge millions to be severely damaged.

“The remarks allegedly credited to the government of Ebonyi State that Ezzas are troublesome fighters or war mongers is to say the least benumbing and downrightly provocative. Such ethnic profiling of our people stands rejected and highly condemned!

“It is a verifiable fact that great sons and daughters of Ezza Ezekuna wherever they may be found have been known for peace among their neighbours despite our ancestors being great warriors that fought and reclaimed ordinarily lost territories in ancient pasts. Our ancestors, being very peaceful have often established a covenant and an oath of peace and brotherhood that has always guided their relationship and co-existence with their neighbours even in the case of the troubled Effium.

“Our judgment and understanding of the implications, actions and even inactions as exhibited either directly by him or through his surrogates since the war broke out in January 2021 manifestly indicate the desperation of the government to continue to give tacit backing to the oppressors and killers of our people- the Uffiomites so as to use the crisis to launch attacks against anyone who they feel has any interest against that of the State Government be there economic, political or even religious and otherwise.

“That with the preponderance of arrests, torture, intimidations, hounding and imprisonment of Ezza fathers, sons, mothers and daughters of even without concrete piece of evidence against them. The communal unrest began over a year ago, the government has obviously declared an unholy and unprovoked “war of attrition” on the entire Ezza Ezekuna clan.”

While declaring that Ezza nation are peace-loving people, the statement said that despite media reports, security intelligence and investigations linking particular local government chairman to the crisis nothing was done to either thoroughly bring him or his group to book.

“Finally, we wish to call on the Governor to within 48 hours first and foremost apologize to the entire Ezza nation, our dearly beloved brother, over the very incendiary remarks and unfounded allegations the government levelled against him as one of the  sponsors of Effium killings.

“Governor Umahi should know that we are a very peace-loving people. But he must never take our meekness for a weakness.”