LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- No fewer than 11 persons were injured and 43 compounds destroyed by suspected hoodlums in fresh communal clash in Ebonyi State.
THE PUNCH reports that the incident, which took place at Ndiefi-Ishieke village in the Ebonyi Local Government Area, threw many innocent members of the community into deep grief and panic.
It was gathered that the hoodlums, numbering about 50, went into 43 compounds situated within a communal land, shot some villagers and destroyed their buildings.
Confirming the incident, an indigene of Ndiefi-Ishieke village, Dr. Nwoba Benjamin, decried the attack and alleged that the cause of the incident was one family of Okuku-Ede of Igbojima kindred laying claim to a communal land.
The claim, according to sources, led to the agitation among the villagers.
“The thugs were hired and were shooting sporadically. They were led by some members of Igbogima kindred. About 100 buildings were destroyed.”
“There’s a communal land in the village, which the community usually share to indigenes of the village, when you grow and get married.”
“Okuku-Ede family claimed that it is their land. One of them died and was buried in the Community land even as the community refused such development. At about 3a.m of the fateful day, the thugs started destroying people’s properties. I was reliably informed that SWAT saw them and didn’t do anything.
“Thugs were going from one building to the other causing mayhem and stabbing people. One military man was also involved in the act. The police saw things for themselves but didn’t do anything.”
In his reaction, the Ebonyi Council Chairman, Mr. Uburu, denied any involvement in such an act, saying such allegations were directed at tarnishing his image.
“Nobody has officially reported to me that there was any destruction in the affected community. I’m hearing it for the first time. The day of the burial, the police were on ground. If anybody is laying accusing fingers on me, it’s just a cheap blackmail. Surely, I will visit the place and alert some security agencies to swing into action.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said the command was yet to receive an official report on the matter.
