The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora (AESID) has tasked the federal government to immediately take steps to end the ongoing militia activities in Effium community, a suburb of Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

The association also urged government to declare a state of emergency in the area immediately in order to protect live and property.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the association’s president, Amb Pascal Oluchukwu, he said a few surviving eyewitnesses recounted from their various hideouts that hired militias had stormed an Ezza enclave in Nwekendiagu village of Effium on Thursday last week, killing people and burning houses, including a fuel station located in the area.

“It is most saddening to note that this attack came barely a few hours after the state government through its agents pretending to be mediating to restore peace in the area, had informed the people to converge at a particular spot to receive a team of government officials on a peace mission.

“The people had mistaken the disguised attackers for soldiers who came on a peace-keeping mission but were again stunned when they opened fire on them including women and children, reportedly leading to the instant death of scores of the unarmed and defenceless residents who, again, are of Ezza origin,” he said.

While condemning the latest killings, the group also expressed disappointment that the state government could not resettle the displaced people of the affected community.

“Without further hesitation, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately declare a state of emergency in the State and deploy an unbiased and professionally-trained team of soldiers to the troubled area to maintain peace and order in the area.

“They should remain there till a lasting peace is restored. For the primary responsibility and concern of any government, we reiterate, remains to protect lives and property of its citizens. This we believe will stem the tide of the killing field that Effium has now become.

“Ezzas are not cowards and mustn’t be provoked further beyond these reported cases, else, they shouldn’t be blamed if they take up arms to defend themselves against these forces,” he added.