Obinna Uchendu Abakaliki
10 houses was said to have been burnt down and several others injured following an alleged attack of Ndieguzu Agalegu Omege Community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by youths suspected to have invaded the community from Ukwuinyima also in Ikwo LGA.
A resident of the community who spoke to journalists on grounds of anonymity said the crisis may not be unconnected to a fight that broke out on November 2024 between youths of the two Community.
The fight erupted during the burial of a woman who was alleged to have been raped and killed by yet to be identified persons.
The resident said, “a fight broke out on November in 2024 when they buried one woman that was alleged to have been raped and killed. It is believed that this is a reprisal attack.
“During the burial, youths of Ukwuinyima apprehended some youths from Omege who went to the community to charge their phones not knowing that an attack had already been planned on them.
“When they got to Ukwuinyima, a youth from the village brought out a dagger and wanted to stab a young man from Omege and by God’s grace, he dodged the dagger and collected it from the young man and stabbed him to death.
Angered by the death of the young man, youths of Ukwuinyima now stormed Omege Community and started burning houses. More than 10 houses and Properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed in the reprisal attack.
The government needs to do something urgently to forestall further attacks by youths of the two communities.
When contacted, the State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Jude Okpor confirmed the attack adding that the State Government is already aware of the incident and is doing its best to control the crisis.
“It was a misunderstanding between two youths from the villages you mentioned that degenerated into a free-for-all fight and resulted in the unfortunate incident. However, it has been brought under control.”.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer PPRO DSP Joshua Ukandu confirmed that one person was killed in the crisis. He noted that details of the incident would be revealed to the media later.
