From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The situation in Akpoha, a tiny hilly-stony community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, and Isu community in Onicha LGA of the state is that of blood, sorrow and anger. The situation was caused by gunmen who killed some members of the communities recently.
The two communities in the southern part of the state have been under attack by gunmen for some years now, with some of their people killed or kidnapped. The whereabouts of a traditional ruler, Eze Ambrose Ogbu of Isu community, abducted about two years ago are yet unknown.
The gunmen revived their dastardly acts in the area late last month and early this month by killing five members of the communities, including a vigilance group member, youth leader, ward councillor and two others.
In Akpoha, Emmanuel Nwocha, leader of the Neighbourhood Security Watch in the area, which replaced the defunct Ebubeagu Security Network formed by the last administration in the state for internal security, and another member of the community, Egwu Nicholas Nwocha, were shot dead. Inya Blessing Orieoma from Ozizza, one of the communities in Afikpo, who visited the area, was also killed.
Emmanuel, who was the chief security officer of the company handling construction of a new bridge on the ever-busy Abakaliki/Akpoha highway by the federal government, had over 10 bullets pumped into his body.
A community leader in the area, Chief Dominic Ezekpu, described the incident as disheartening. He told Daily Sun that the community has lost seven persons within the space of three years and called for heavy military presence in the area.
“I am urging the commander of Nkwagu military cantonment in the state to send us military men who will be staying on the Abakaliki/Akpoha highway. This is because we have lost souls that would have contributed to the socio-economic development of this community.
“The killings have affected our community seriously. During night period, immediately it is 7pm, you will not see any member of the community outside, everyone will be in the house and this is very dangerous because it is affecting the socio-economic development of this community,” he lamented.
Youth president of the community, Uche Donatus, said the incident was very shocking, even as he recalled that some members of the community were killed some years back by gunmen. He also bemoaned the killings, saying they had adversely affected the community.
Uche called for the establishment of military/police posts in the area to end the killings. The youth leader also called for the resolution of the land dispute between the community and its closest neighbour, Ezeke, in Amasiri, which has claimed lives.
He would want the communities to co-exist peacefully like before to enable Akpoha people easily detect any security issue in the community. He opined that if the land dispute between the two communities was not resolved, any security problem in Akpoha might be attributed to the dispute even when the issues may not be connected.
Expressing their frustration, Uche said: “It has really affected the community, especially the youths. We have been victims of these killings.
“Though the previous ones have been as a result of dispute over farmlands with the people of Ezeke, Amasiri. After that, this other young man was killed in the village during a wake and that is Ike Ogba. He was murdered and that was during the burial of Eric. Eric was also killed in cold blood and all these are people from my community, people that would have assisted in the socio-economic development of the society.
“This time around, three persons were also murdered and left a pool of blood. We need a security post in-between the two communities. A lot of our youths are being attacked and murdered along the road.
“If there was a checkpoint, there would have been an interface between the assailants and security agencies because the kind of armoury they had, the kind of guns they, had is not what any local vigilance group can withstand.
“The commissioner of police should come to our rescue so that all these killings will stop and we pray for thorough investigation to find out the root cause of these killings so that they will stop, so that if you are in Akpoha you can sleep well.
“It’s purely external from what we have seen. Government should come to our aid and resolve the land dispute we have with Ezeke people so that whenever anything happens, there will be no mindset, thinking towards that direction. We are brothers, the other sister community, we are relatives.”
Coordinator of Amaoha Development Centre in the area, Kenneth Orji Obasi, said the attack has instilled fear and anxiety in residents of Akpoha and Afikpo. He noted that it was a tragic event that highlights the ongoing security challenges in the community.
“On the night of May 25, 2024, at approximately 11pm, an attack by unidentified gunmen took place in Akpoha, a community in Ebonyi State. The assailants opened fire, resulting in the tragic loss of three lives: Egwu Nicholas Nwocha, Emmanuel Nwocha, and Blessing Orie Inya. This incident has deeply shocked the local community, raising concerns about security and safety in the locality.
“The victims of this heinous attack were community members, except Blessing who hails from Ozizza community in the same Afikpo, engaged in their night activities, when the attack occurred. Their deaths have left their families and the community in profound grief.
“According to witnesses, the gunmen arrived the community on two motorcycles under the cover of darkness and began shooting indiscriminately. The attack seemed unprovoked, and the motive behind it remains unclear. The gunmen swiftly fled the scene before the arrival of local security forces.
“However, the attack has instilled fear and anxiety among the residents of Akpoha, Afikpo. In tandem with the Ebonyi State government’s zero tolerance for criminalities, I condemn the attack and express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I will intensify efforts in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force to apprehend the attackers and prevent similar incidents in the future.
“As investigations continue, the resilience and cooperation of the community with law enforcement agencies will be crucial in addressing these issues and restoring peace,” Obasi said.
While Akpoha people mourned, their counterparts in Isu community, Onicha LGA also experienced their own bout of grief over killings.
A ward councillor, Stanley Akpa Nwaeze, and his friend, Arinze Joshua Ugochukwu, a youth leader, were slain.
Nwaeze represented Enuagu ward in the local legislative council while Ugochukwu, a native of Amagu Mgbom in Isu community, was the LGA Coordinator of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and secretary, Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, Alumni Association.
The incident occurred on June 3, after Ugochukwu visited Nwaeze in Enuagu and was seeing him off to Isu when they were waylaid by the gunmen.
The senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Prof. Anthony Ani, and several other leaders have condemned the mindless killings.
The senator described the incident as barbaric, inhuman, tragic and condemnable, even as he called on security agencies to do everything within their power to apprehend the perpetrators to face the full weight of the law.
He cautioned that no one had the power to take another person’s life, no matter the level of provocation, and that no evil act will go unpunished.
In a statement by his senior legislative aide, Dr. Ogbonnaya Aja, the senator commiserated with the families of the victims and the people of Onicha and Isu communities over the loss of the two illustrious youths.
He stated that they were serving their communities diligently and meritoriously in different capacities.
Isu community has been witnessing killings and kidnapping for two years.
In one of the incidents, a lady’s body was found along a bush path between Agbebor Isu and Onicha-Igboeze communities in the area. She was raped and killed and her underwear was taken away.
This happened as the community was looking for its traditional ruler, Ogbu, who was abducted from his palace.
The community also lost its president general, palace secretary and some other prominent figures. These community leaders were assassinated by gunmen in different circumstances.
In addition, gunmen had in August 2022, raided Galaxy Hotel in the community and killed three persons.
Owner of the hotel, Ogbonnaya Nwadiba, an indigene of Anambra State, Henry Ezeani Chukwu, 43, who was a bodyguard to the 2023 PDP governorship candidate in the state, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, and Alexander Ekwe Okorie, 52, a native of Uhuoke Amanator Isu, were the victims.
Similarly, criminals have not spared Ohaukwu LGA in Ebonyi North Senatorial District. Gunmen have been attacking security agents and residents of the community with many of them killed since this year. On June 11, they killed Ikechukwu Idenyi Ali, a youth in Ngbo community.
Daily Sun gathered that the assailants stormed Okwor Market in the community, where the deceased owned a shop, and killed him. It was gathered that they shot him severally when he was locking his shop.
Two months ago, a hotel belonging to the local government chairman, Ikechukwu Odono, was attacked and some vehicles parked on the premises were burnt. One person was killed in the attack.
Odono confirmed the incident, saying: “Actually, yesterday, around 10pm, gunmen came to our village market, Okwor, on a motor bike and shot one Mr. Ikechukwu Ali Idenyi while he was locking up his shop.
“This morning, when the information came to me, I quickly went there, alongside Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chief Chinedu Onah, policemen and other relevant political stakeholders of Ohaukwu Local Government Area who condemned the gravity of the crime.
“When I got there, many youths of that community were a staging peaceful demonstration to condemn the painful killing of the deceased in his shop and, after addressing them, I made sure that no life or property was tampered with.”
Police public relations officer in the state, Joshua Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, also confirmed the Ohaukwu incident but disclosed that security operatives were already deployed to the community.