After about 16 years of legal battles and unfriendly atmosphere, the people of Achara in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State and people of Ugwueme community in Agwu LGA of Enugu State, have reached a landmark agreement to pursue an out-of-court settlement for their long-standing boundary dispute.
The breakthrough came on Friday during the second phase of a peace and reconciliation meeting between the two communities.
The meeting, which was hosted by the Chairman of Umunneochi LGA of Abia, Sunday Afurobi, was attended by key political stakeholders, including Mathias Nwachi, a member of the Abia State House of Assembly and Anthony Okafor a member of Enugu State House of Assembly.
In a unanimous decision, both communities agreed to end the protracted court case and “settle at home”, and to formalize this, a resolution was passed to form a joint delegation that will attend the next court hearing.
The delegation, comprising both state assembly members, Umunnochi LGA Chairman, Sunday Afurobi, and three representatives from each of the two communities, will officially request the withdrawal of the case from the court.
Furthermore, both parties were advised to exchange relevant documents to facilitate the ongoing peace process before their next meeting.
Delegates from both communities commended Umunnochi LGA boss, Sunday Afurobi for his unbiased and skillful mediation, which was credited as a crucial factor in achieving this resolution.
This agreement marks a significant step towards lasting peace between the two neighboring communities.
Land tussle: Abia, Enugu communities agree to end 16-year legal battle
