Ebonyi Communal Crisis: Land Demarcation Attains 80% As Govt Pegs December For Completion

By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters

The Ebonyi State Government has announced December 2026 as the deadline for the completion of the ongoing boundary demarcation exercise in the Effium war-torn community, revealing that the project has already attained about 80 per cent completion.

The Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Chief Matthew Nwobashi, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abakaliki, describing the exercise as a critical component of the state’s efforts to secure lasting peace in the area after years of bloody communal conflict.

According to him, the demarcation exercise was initiated following the successful intervention of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration in ending the protracted crisis between Effium and Ezza-Effium communities, which claimed many lives and destroyed properties worth billions of naira.

Nwobashi dismissed allegations that the boundary delineation exercise favoured certain groups, insisting that all communities captured in the peace arrangement were adequately accommodated.

He explained that the exercise involved the proper demarcation of the newly created autonomous communities of Alioma, Ezekunna Alioma, Ekirigwe, Ejem and Effium, alongside the old Effium and Ezza-Effium communities affected by the conflict.

“The demarcation exercise has reached about 80 per cent completion, and we are working towards concluding it by December this year. The process has been transparent and fair to all parties involved,” the commissioner said.

He noted that the exercise was aimed at providing a permanent framework for peaceful coexistence among the affected communities and preventing future disputes over land ownership and territorial boundaries.

The commissioner further stressed that the administration of Governor Nwifuru remained committed to implementing all aspects of the Effium peace accord to ensure sustainable peace, security and development in the area.

Speaking on land administration in the state, Nwobashi said the ministry had continued to address challenges arising from multiple sales of the same plots of land, explaining that such disputes are usually detected during registration and documentation processes.

He said the ministry regularly invites affected parties for reconciliation and verification of ownership records, adding that many of such disputes had been resolved amicably.

“We have mechanisms in place to identify irregularities in land transactions. Once discovered, we bring the parties together and resolve the issues based on available records and established procedures,” he stated.

The commissioner also reiterated the government’s commitment to transparent land administration and the protection of public assets across the state.