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How 15 People Died In Fresh Ebonyi/Benue Boundary Dispute

Published

June 29, 2022

How 15 People Died In Fresh Ebonyi/Benue Boundary Dispute

On Monday, communities near the border between the states of Benue and Ebonyi battled over farmland once more, leaving around 15 people dead, according to sources.

Following an alleged attack by their neighbours within the boundary regions, the residents of Ojiogu and Okpochiri Ukwagba Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State experienced fear and misery.

According to the information provided to Vanguard, the unpleasant incident caused millions of naira’s worth of property to be damaged and several people were reported missing and injured.

Under the condition of anonymity, an eyewitness said that both Ezzas living in the boundary areas and Benue natives (warlords) were responsible for the attacks on Ngbo people in Ebonyi.

He said,

“I saw the people that attacked us. They were Benue and Ezza indigenes. What happened is usually an annual development that borders on land dispute.

“This dispute is occasioned by the quest for land, especially for farming by both sides of the divide.

How 15 People Died In Fresh Ebonyi/Benue Boundary Dispute

However, Echem Onyekachi, the coordinator of the Ngbo North Development Center, reported that seven dead have so far been found as a result of the incident.

“As at now, we have discovered seven corpses, six injured persons and so many houses and shops were burnt down in many places. Some people are still missing.

“Before now, we have been having clashes with the people of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State. So, it is always during this period that this kind of crisis usually occur.

“I suspect that this crisis was caused by Agila people in Benue State. Anybody calling Ezza is on his or her own.

“Ngbo People and the Ezzas do not have any dispute or crisis. I believe that this crisis is caused by Agila people. It is the issue bordering on land.

“Government should write to the National Boundary Commission, NBC, for land demarcation between Ngbo and Agila people.

“Without government intervention, the crisis will continue. It is over 100 years old.”

Additionally, Eze Moses Ekpe, the Town Union President for the Ukwagba village, revealed that 15 corpses had already been found in the affected Ngbo towns in a phone conversation with Vanguard.

He said,

“We have alerted the Commissioner of Police and other government agencies. The CP sent some policemen there today.

“The victims are too much. We are still searching. For now, 15 persons were killed, while many are missing; houses burnt and farmlands destroyed.

“We are still discovering dead bodies and that’s why I said, we are still searching. We want government to help us beef up security there. The attack came from Ezza people.”