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Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
No fewer than 15 persons from Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area( LGA) of Ebonyi State were on Tuesday killed by suspected warlords from Agila in Ado LGA of Benue state.
Daily Sun gathered that property worth millions of naira including houses, a methodist church, yam barns, live stock among others were also destroyed in the renewed boundary dispute between the two neighbouring communities which has lingered for decades.
Sources in the area who confirmed the incident to Daily Sun, added that the attackers invaded the Ebonyi community on Tuesday afternoon wearing military camouflage.
A villager, Monday, told Daily Sun that no fewer than 15 persons including women and children were killed by the assailants, “they came out from the bush wearing military uniform. We thought they were military men on security checks in the community, so we welcomed them. They started moving around the community, asking questions. Before we could come to terms with their mission, they started slaughtering our people, including women and children. We counted no fewer than 15 persons that were killed. They also set our houses, yam barns, farms, live stock and church on fire. They have finished us”
The Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Mr Clement Odah,who confirmed the attack, however, said only nine persons were killed in the attack.
Odah regretted that all efforts being made by the government and the people of Ebonyi state to resolve the dispute have been breached several times by their Agila neighbours from Benue state.
Odah noted that stakeholders from Ohaukwu with the deputy governor of Ebonyi state, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, had attended several meetings in Agila, Otukpo, Abuja, and in Ebonyi state government house with stakeholders from Agila, and Benue state towards finding lasting solution to the protracted crisis.
Odah further blamed the incessant attacks on the delay by the National Boundary Commission (NBC), to create a permanent demarcation at the disputed area.
He called on the NBC to quickly effect a permanent demarcation on the disputed area to end the dispute.
A reporter with the Ebony State Broadcasting Corporation, (EBBC) attached to the wife of the governor of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Pauline Nwaneri, who is from the area lamented that four members of her immediate family were killed in the attack.
Nwaneri, called on security agents and the state government to quickly intervene and save her people from further attack and destruction.
The commissioner of Police Ebonyi state command, Awotinde Awosola, said only seven people were killed in the attack.
He stated that the command has deployed more security personnel to the area to restore calm and to forestall further attacks and kileling between the two communities.
