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From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
The people of Amaeze in Ishiagu community, Ivo Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, yesterday, raised the alarm over incessant killings, attacks and wanton destruction of lives and property.
The community said between March and June, they lost over three persons with many injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed to attacks.
One of the community leaders, Gilbert Okorie, who briefed journalists, listed those killed as Denis and Chibueze Igwe and Orji Paul, who he said was killed and his body dumped in a quarry pit.
He alleged that a group of men working for one of the prominent politicians in the community masterminded the attacks and killings. He also alleged that Chairman of Ivo local government area, OnyebuchI Ogbadu, was shielding those behind the attacks.
“People that are not from Amaeze wouldn’t have been coming from another community to attack Amaeze and be killing them without the knowledge of the council chairman. From March till date, chairman of Ivo Local Government Area, Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu, has kept mute in all these things.”
However, Ogbadu dismissed Okorie’s allegation as false.
“It is Gilbert Okorie and his brother that are the problem, it is a known fact in Ebonyi, it is not something hidden, and I am not keeping quite. I am from Akaeze and they are from Ishiagu and they don’t always agree. When you talk, they say they are the owners of the land. So, I did not keep quiet, I have been writing to government and nobody is keeping quite. We don’t want to go into press war because it is not a press matter, it’s about justice,” he said.
The community through its lawyer, Patrick Egwu, had written to Governor David Umahi to use his good office to cause a holistic investigation into the matter to immediately put an end to incessant killings, attacks and wanton destruction of property in the community.
