In a shocking turn of events, suspected warlords from the Abaomege and Ishinkwo communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, have set fire to a government-owned excavator that was being used to demarcate a disputed area. The two neighboring communities have been embroiled in a long-standing conflict over a highly fertile land, resulting in the loss of numerous lives and the destruction of property valued at billions of naira.

In an effort to resolve the crisis, the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, established a committee upon taking office and issued a white paper recommending the demarcation of the communities with roads and wide drainage channels, among other measures, to ensure lasting peace. The demarcation process had been underway since the beginning of the year until Tuesday, when one of the excavators was torched by suspected warlords who were dissatisfied with the terms of the peace initiative.

During a visit to the war zone by journalists on Thursday, the local government chairman, Ikechukwu Ogbofia, described the incident as unfortunate and a sabotage of government efforts, but emphasized that peace must prevail in the area. Ogbofia, speaking through the local government’s Public Relations Officer, Omekannaya Orogwu, noted that the incident occurred just one week after one of the warring communities threatened to destroy the equipment being used in the demarcation if it was not done according to their specifications.

Despite the setback, Ogbofia vowed that the incident would not hinder the demarcation process, but rather strengthen it in the interest of peace. “There is no amount of threat, there is no amount of sabotage that will stop the ongoing demarcation of the communities because to us as a government, that will bring permanent solutions to that age-old war,” he said. The government has pledged to take additional measures to ensure the completion of the demarcation, underscoring its commitment to finding a lasting solution to the conflict. With the situation still tense, the international community will be watching closely to see how the situation unfolds and whether the government’s efforts will ultimately bring peace to the troubled region.