Many dead as fresh communal crisis hits Ebonyi

Nine people have been reportedly killed while four other persons are still missing in a fresh communal crisis in Ukwagba Ngbo in Ohaukwu LGA of the state.

Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, on Sunday threatened to arrest and imprison stakeholders of the area for allegedly sponsoring the massacre.

Umahi, who visited the council headquarters of Ohaukwu LGA located at 135 along Abakaliki- Enugu, gave stakeholders of the area 24 hours to produce the killers of the 9 persons and the missing four others in the area.

Represented by the deputy Governor Barr. Kelechi Igwe, the governor said it is a shame on the stakeholders of the area including the 6 former chairmen of the council to allow killings to ravage the local government.

Recall, Ohaukwu LGA is the hometown of the former first civilian governor of Ebonyi state, Dr. Sam Egwu, who is the current senator representing Ebonyi north senatorial zone, but Ohaukwu LGA has been ravaged with serial crises leading to killings of innocent persons on daily basis.

“You should know people who are causing trouble in your domain. The traditional rulers should be able to fish out people who are causing trouble. We have not come with the message of comfort but to sound a note of warning.

Earlier in a remark, the council chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Barr. Clement Odah while narrating the incident blamed the killings on some persons who are not happy with his administration.

“Yesterday, we were heading towards Ukwagba community in Ngbo that casualties numbering nine persons and ten from the latest information were killed, massacred in their homes.

“There is a situation we were trying to manage that some persons who were Ezza brothers were going to a burial at Effuim from Enugu state. Thy were 30 persons in number on getting to rest house in Ishielu LGA, one of them were involved in an accident, they took him to Ezzimgbo general hospital.

“While they were there, four persons left them and moved ahead of the 30 to attend the burial leaving the other 26 behind but on getting to Agbaesa, they were intercepted by boys who blocked the roads. Then when the other 26 reached the venue of the burial, they couldn’t find the other four persons who left them at the hospital” he stated.