The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the communal crisis in Oruku, Nkanu East local government area submitted its report to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, attributing the killings and property destruction during the conflict to ego tussle among elites.

Mr Ugwuanyi had inaugurated the commission, headed by retired Justice Harold Eya, in the aftermath of killing the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Emmanuel Mba, on December 26, 2020.

The governor had charged the commission to investigate and ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the communal crisis.

Mr Eya, who was at the Government House, described their assignment as a peace-building initiative.

He noted that the Oruku crisis was a matter of ego tussle among the elite, which tore the youth apart.

“Our gathering here will turn out to be the beginning of a new phase of the community’s corporate existence,” he said.

Responding, Ugwuanyi assured the members of the commission that he would diligently study and implement the report.

He appealed to the community to maintain the peace, which his administration had strove to restore in the area.

In February, the governor imposed a 12-hour curfew on Oruku in Nkanu East Local Government Area, following two community leaders’ killing.

The curfew became effective immediately and ended on March 31, after which the government would review the security situation in the community.

“The curfew was imposed by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, pursuant to Executive Order No. 2: 2021 of February 25, 2021.

“The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, has been directed to take all legal measures to enforce this order and ensure the arrest as well as prosecution of the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” a statement by the government had said.

The traditional ruler of the community, Mr Mba, was killed on December 26, 2020, by gunmen. The incident prompted the state government to inaugurate a judicial commission of inquiry into the crisis.

However, the Vice Chairman of Oruku Town Union Caretaker Committee, Samuel Ani, was on February 24 murdered.

Mr. Ani was to appear before the judicial commission when he was killed. His killing came barely two months after the community’s traditional ruler was shot and killed.

The fatal attack led to a crisis followed by the destruction of lives and property in the community.

(NAN)