The Brigade Commander of 14 Brigade Nigeria Army, Ohafia, Brigadier General Adegoke Adetuyi has promised the continued commitment of officers and men of the Brigade to sustenance of peace in Ohafia and Abia State.
The Brigade Commander stated this in Ebem Ohafia, Ohafia LGA of Abia State during the 2022 Iri Ji Ebem Ohafia festival which which was also used to celebrate the Igba Ekpe festival.
Gen Adetuyi, who was a special guest at the new yam festival, said officers and men of the 14 Brigade Ohafia were not in the community to either intimidate or harass the indigenes but are in the community to provide peace and maintain harmonious relationships with the people of the host community.
Gen Adetuyi, who was received by the paramount ruler of Ebem Ohafia, HRH Ezie Ukoha Kalu Ukoha, the Kpoke (1) of Ekeleugo Ebem was also received by the members of Ebem Ohafia Development Union (EODU) led by Emeka Mba, Ifeanyi Okali among others.
The Brigade Commander said, “Sometimes when I go round this community on Mondays, I come to the market square, I feel very bad. Why? Because the people are supposed to be making money, they are supposed to be engaging in their commercial activities band trading.”
He went on, “People are supposed to be going to their farms, the students are supposed to be in schools. Without all these, there cannot be development. If the students don’t go to school, how can they be educated? How can they attain a higher position in society, to be able to even speak for the community?”
“If they don’t engage in economic activities, how can they support the growth of the community”, the Army Brigade Commander asked.
Gen Adetuyi further advised elders in Ohafia to expose suspected criminals around their environments, saying, “We cannot continue to support criminality and expect development.”
During the new yam festival, the Brigade Commander was presented with tuber of yam by the traditional ruler of Ebem Ohafia, HRH Ezie Ukoha Kalu Ukoha, his cabinet members and leaders of Ebem Ohafia Development Union (EODU)
It would be recalled a young Army officer and a young girl, Miss Chiemela Ajunwa died in August when a gun battle ensued between military personnel and a group of gunmen at Ebem, the host town of the Army Brigade.
It was also reported that two of the unknown gunmen were also gunned down during the crises.
