From David Eze, Abakaliki
Four persons have been feared dead and many houses burnt in Ngbo community, Ohaukwu Local government area of Ebonyi State
The attack which took place in Otuebu and Obodo Ocha villages, Umuogodo-Akpu Ngbo community was carried out at about 4am, on Monday morning.
The source from the area who is suspecting herdsmen said the incident had caused panic in the area, as natives had left the area for other neighbouring communities for safety of their lives.
“My brother, it was not a small thing. They have hit our community again. they burnt down many houses. As soon as they started, I had to move my parents to Okwor area for safety. “In fact, my father just informed me now that he saw a vehicle carrying a dead body from the area, just passed. “They came into the community and started shooting sporadically and burning down houses. It took the intervention of some of our people who came out to engage them in gun battle.
“We are suspecting Fulani herdsmen. Recently, because of the way they were dealing with farmers in the community, we were no longer comfortable with them and we asked them to leave. And two weeks ago, they were sighted in the area around the community. So, they could be responsible for the attack,” the source said.
The Ebonyi State Government, on Monday, confirmed the incident, saying investigation was ongoing to unearth the attackers. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, stated this in a telephone interview with our Correspondent, in Abakaliki.
According to the Commissioner, “They said is Agila people, but for now nobody can say where the attackers came from. That part of Ngbo has issues with the Agila people of Benue State and so we are still not certain the people that attacked.
“If it’s the Agila people that means it’s an inter-communal issue that has been existing between the Ngbo and the Agila people.”But if it’s herdsmen, then it means we will start tracing where they came from.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Aliyu Garba, said his men had been mobilized and deployed to the area.
