11 Persons Injured, 40 Houses Destroyed in Ebonyi Communal Land Dispute
Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki
No fewer than 11 persons were injured and over 40 compounds destroyed in Ndiefi-Ishieke village of Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State over a communal land dispute.
The attackers were said to have invaded the village on March 30, shot some villagers and destroyed their property.
A stakeholder of Ndiefi-Ishieke village, Dr. Nwoba Benjamin confirmed the incident.
When THISDAY visited the village for on the spot assessment, heavy security operatives have been deployed to forestall further breakdown of law.
He narrated that the dispute started when the family of Okuku-Ede of Igbogima kindred was laying claim to the community land, which had been shared among all youths of the village.
Nwoba alleged that some key stakeholders of Igbogima kindred conspired with the said Okuku-Ede family to attack the innocent 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.”
He particularly accused Ebonyi Council Chairman, Chinedu Uburu to have led the attackers and further raised alarm that his life was under threat.
But in a quick reaction, the Chairman of Ebonyi LGA, Mr. Chinedu Uburu, denied any involvement in such dastardly act, saying such allegation were directed at tarnishing his image.
“I am not from the village. How can a council chairman cause crisis in his own local government area? It is a cheap blackmail”.
“Nobody has officially reported to me that there was any destruction in the affected community. Am hearing it for the first time. The day of the burial, the police were on ground. If any body 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,” the Council chairman said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Onome Onovwakpoyeya stated that the Command in the State was not aware of the incident.
