Ebonyi communal crisis: Many feared dead, husband, wife abducted in Ishiagu

By Jeff Agbodo

ABAKALIKI——–Many people were feared dead while a husband and wife were abducted following a crisis between Ezza and Ishiagu people in Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State.

It was gathered that the Ezza and Ihe people had a misunderstanding over the farmland, which led to altercations.

Sources said that trouble started when an Ishiagu man went to fetch pig feed and was stopped by some boys during a burial ceremony of a youth.

“It was a personal matter that escalated.. So, when they told the man to go back, it resulted in a fight where one person was injured, and the other group went on a rampage, burning a house. The police were invited, and some people were  arrested. They said that some boys attacked and killed some people in the early hours of yesterday, and also abducted two people,” the source said.

The council chairman of Ivo Local Government Area, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbonna Aja, who confirmed the incident, said that he went to the police to appeal for the release of those arrested  and learnt that two people have been abducted.

He said the matter was a personal fracas between Ezza and Ihe  people over where they farm, saying that some boys hijacked the situation to cause mayhem in the area.

Aja confirmed that two persons were  abducted over the matter and appealled  for their release, calling for calm and peaceful coexistence, urging the two camps to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

“We must ensure the dislodging of any bad elements causing unrest, if only to provide peace for our people,

“We learnt that several persons, including women from the community, have been abducted. I have been informed about the abductions and, as the council chairman, I must condemn these acts,” he said.

He emphasized that resorting to violence is not the solution and called for unity among the two crisis communities.

“I urge the residents to practice restraint and avoid violent reprisals. Killing is never justifiable, especially over land disputes. Taking a human life is condemnable, and those who engage in such actions will face the wrath of the law.

“We call for thorough investigations to determine the truth behind these escalating hostilities. We must investigate whether it was indeed an attack from Ihe or a retaliatory action,” he stated.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, who confirmed the incident, said that a husband and wife, Mr.and Mrs. Lazarus Igboke, were abducted.

He said that police had launched a rescue mission for the abductees, but only recovered a piece of cloth suspected to be cloth for one of the abductees, and could not see them.

“When we got the information, we launched an operation, trying to rescue the abductees, but our men could not see them, but recovered a piece of cloth belonging to one of them. For now, we don’t have a record of any killing, but an investigation is on to ascertain the cause of the crisis,” said Ukandu.

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