By Benjamin Nworie
Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. David Umahi, has confirmed the killing of two persons in a fresh communal land dispute between Ezillo and Iyonu communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.
Briefing journalists after an enlarged security meeting in Abakaliki, the governor explained that the land had been declared as a buffer zone because of the land dispute which had last for 100 years.
Umahi, who admitted that the state was still under high tension because of the killings in the state, also directed the Myetti Allah to still stay out of the state until such a time that the state would be declared safe.
The governor, who also warned that the state would confront any herdsman with AK-47 in the state, further ordered local government chairmen to enforce ban on open grazing in the state.
He further explained that the councillor of Ezillo ward took an expatriate investor to the disputed land which resulted to the shootings and killing of two persons.
Meanwhile, the governor has announced that normalcy has returned to the area with the intervention of the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev Father Michael Okoro.
According to Umahi, “There have been differences for over 100 years and the land has been declared a buffer zone. But unfortunately out of greed, one councilor from Ezillo took an expatriate investor to the disputed land and it resulted to shootings and killing of two persons.”
The governor also condemned the killing of policemen and burning of police stations in the South-east zone.
He further called on leaders of the South-east region to rise up and condemn the killings in the zone.
Meanwhile, Umahi has declared the National Coordinator of Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora (AESID), Mr. Pascal Oluchi, wanted for allegedly circulating fake information that led to the killings and destruction of property in Effium and Ezza-Effium communities
