4 killed in Ebonyi Communal, killers seize corpses

By CHARLES IWUOHA

Four people have been reportedly killed in a communal war between the people of Ukawu and Isinkwo communities in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

This is even as the corpses of the slain men were allegedly taken away by their attackers.

The people of Ukawu community had, on Tuesday, gone to a beach which has been in dispute between the two communities to excavate sand, a source of livelihood to the communities, only to be allegedly attacked by suspected Isinkwo warriors. It was learnt that during the attack, four persons were allegedly killed.

According to a community source, the Ukawu people tried taking advantage of the sit-at-home order, thinking that the area would be calm, not knowing that their opponents had already laid ambush.

“When our people got to the beach, the Isinkwo people opened fire on us and we had to run for our lives. But on getting to our meeting point, we discovered that four people were missing.

“Some of us confirmed they saw when they were shot dead and their corpses taken away. The worse was that we were taken unawares. We didn’t go with gun because we never anticipated any attack. For some time now, the area has been calm,” the source said.

One of the victims, it was gathered, was identified as Offor Ujebe who is in his mid-30’s with three children and the last child is about 9months, while the identity of the other three victims were yet to be ascertained at the time of filling this report.

When contacted on phone, Ujebe’s wife who had already lost her voice, lamented that “they just called me that I should start coming back to the village from Abakaliki, and I left with my three children. On getting to the village now, they are telling me that my husband went to the beach where they normally work and there was an attack and they are yet to see him till now.”

It was gathered that Ukawu people had already mobilized to Isinkwo to demand for the corpses of those killed and for possible reprisal.

When contacted, the Police Spokesperson in the State, DSP Loveth Odah, said the report had not reached her table.