Again, Benue community attacks Ebonyi, kill one, injure many

Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki

Suspected warlords from Agila in Benue State on Tuesday attacked Ngbo community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State killing a teenager and injured three other villagers including a pregnant woman.

The attack  came a month after a similar attack occurred in the community where over 15 persons were reportedly killed by  men in  military camouflage.

Sources in the community told Daily Sun that the attackers who invaded the community in military camouflage specifically attacked farmers from Ojiogu Village, Okpochiri Ukwagba in Ngbo community.

Daily Sun further gathered that the attackers stormed a farmland where a woman and her son were working and shot two of them; the son died instantly, while the heavily pregnant woman was latter resuscitated in the hospital.

The suspected militia were said to have attacked another family and injured  two other villagers before leaving the community.

A source from the communuty said: “We have been attacked again. They came this evening in a military uniform ,about five  of them. They shot a pregnant woman and her 12- year-old son. The boy died instantly while the mother miraculously survived, but she is still in a critical condition . They also attacked another family wounding two persons before they ran away when they noticed that our youths were mobilizing against them.

“We have contacted our LGA chairman, Omekannaya Odah, and he said he would get back to us.The major victim of the attack is a 16- year- old boy, Chukwuebuka. We are making effort to bury him while others who sustained injuries have been moved to Abakaliki for treatment “

Ebonyi State  Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Loveth Odah,confirmed the attack ,adding that the command has  sent more personnel to the area for proper security patrol.

Odah further disclosed that the traditional ruler and the Town Union president of the Ukwagba Ngbo community have been arrested for allowing their people to enter and farm in the disputed land against government’s directive that the two warring communities should stay away from the disputed land until proper demarcation was done by the National Boundary Commission.

She called on Ebonyi and Benue communities to stay away from the disputed farm lands until proper demarcation would be  carried out to forestall further bloodshed