The People of Ezza/Effium in Ohaukwu and part of Ebonyi local local government areas of Ebonyi state has been thrown into mouning following the unfortunate attack from suspected Effium warlords that claimed more than twenty six(26) lives and destroyed seventeen (17) houses in the early hours of yesterday, Sunday 10th April,2022.
The villages affected are:Ohagelede,Umuezeoka,Ebbiaji and Ebbeta all in Ezza/Effium and part of Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi state.
In a visit to the villages villages affected, people were seen in groups mourning their beloved family members who were killed during the attack while others were busy moving their family members and properties out of the villages for fear of more attacks.
According to an eyewitness, Chief Daniel Nwanga from Umuezeoka village, the incident happened in the early hours of yesterday, Sunday 10th April, 2022 at Ezza villages of Ohagelede, Umuezeoka,Ebbeta and part of Ebonyi local government areas where alleged Assailants from Effium invaded Ezza speaking side of the community and massacred over twenty six(26) persons and destroyed seventeen (17) houses.
Chief Nwanga stated that government ordered for ceasefire since two weeks ago which the obeyed,but never new that the will come to lunch another attack on them.
“In the past three weeks, government has ordered for ceasefire in this community and we agreed to obey because we don’t disobey any order from government.
“The assailants came in hundreds from Ogbabruagu village and killed four there; another four at Ebiaji; another four at Ogbaenyigwe and came to Ebbeta and killed six.
“The went to Izzi speaking area to trace our people and also killed eight there and burnt more than seventeen houses.
“The incident happened yesterday around 6:00am and kept operating till 2:00pm .We called army people from Nweke Ndiagu but before the came,the had already left.
“We counted 26 dead bodies”.
“Government should know that we are law abiding citizens and should know those who committed this atrocities and those sponsoring them should be arrested and prosecuted”,he said.
Also speaking,Mr.Moses Nwafor from Ebbeta whose wife,step mother, grandsona and younger brother was killed stated that he doesn’t know that the war is still going on because there was ceasefire agreement;lamenting that he lost four members of his family including his wife.
“Yesterday,I started hearing gunshots from afar.Those warlords from Effium came with Matchets,guns; the killed my wife,my step mother,my grandson and my younger brother.There burial is ongoing now.Since this thing started,the told us to respect peace talk, which we did but never new the will come to attack us.
Further more,Mr.Nwigwe Joseph, Uchenna Nwite,Eucharia Nwakpa amongst others lamented that the have lost almost all the have in the attack stating that the entire village surrendered their arms in Obedience to the ceasefire agreement which Ebonyi State Government instituted but to their greatest surprise,the were invaded and killed many people from the village calling on government to take urgent action against the Perpetrators of those attack to stand as a deterant to others.
Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State,CP Garba Aliyu stated that he equally got the information about the kilings at Ohagelode Ishieke and have sent team of police officers to go there to confirm wether the information is actually true.
“Well,as you are tell me, that is how I am hearing the information and I have sent some people to the area to confirm and affirmed the story if it is actually true”, the CP said.
