No fewer than eight persons are feared to have been killed in renewed clashes between communities in Cross River and Ebonyi States. Cr...
Cross River State in South-south Nigeria shares common boundary with Ebonyi in the South-east zone.
The skirmishes occurred between Ochienyim community in Amagu, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and Adadama community in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Residents and security sources said five of those allegedly killed were from Adadama community while the remaining three are from Amagu village.
Several persons are also said to have been injured in the attacks.
An Amagu Ikwo community leader, who pleaded not to be named for security reasons, said that some women from Ochienyim went to harvest cassava in their farms when unknown persons suspected to be from Adadama attacked them.
“By the time they left the community having sacked everybody, we came back to count our losses and at the last count, three members of our community were already lying dead while several others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries
.
In the ensuing scuffle, the source said the attackers tried to abduct some of the women but were resisted by the youth who accompanied them.
“A few hours after the initial invasion, over 30 Adadama youth mobilised and invaded the community with dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically at the people,” the source said.
“The Cross River police commissioner also called his Ebonyi counterpart and a detachment of mobile policemen were immediately moved in to restore law and order. We intend to keep the police there for some time to ensure that peace is not disrupted while talk is ongoing.”
“But the truth is that the long term solution to that problem is for the National Boundary Commission to return there and do the needful.”
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Ebonyi Central zone, Obinna Ogba has called for security to be beefed up in the area to avoid the constant attacks and killings of innocent people.
Mr. Ogba, who is also the Senate Committee Chairman on Sports, appealed to the National Boundary Commission to urgently visit the area and advise government on possible ways to halt the hostility.
The lawmaker, however, commended security agencies for their quick intervention to quell the crisis and urged the warring communities to remain calm while government explored permanent ways of resolving the problem.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Ebonyi State, George Okafor, confirmed the incident.
Mr. Okafor disclosed that only two Ebonyi indigenes were killed during the attack.
“I can tell you that normalcy has been restored in the area but not without casualties on both sides. The commissioner of police has visited the place to see things for herself,” the PPRO said.
