POLICE IN EBONYI INVESTIGATE ALLEGED KILLING OF A 40YEAR OLD MAN

Police in Ebonyi State have launched investigations into alleged killing of a forty year old man and burning of houses worth millions of Naira in Afikpo South Local Government Area of the State. The incident which involved Okporojo and Ogiri communities followed a dispute over the ownership of a rice farmland.  police operatives have been deployed to the area to quell the crisis and arrest the perpetrators.

Investigations reveal that the rice farmland is about twenty five hectares and has been a source of litigation for some years now. The Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government, Mr Eni Uduma Chima explained that what led to the crisis was an alleged killing of one Eme Agha Oduko from Okporojo who was ambushed along with his friends when they went to cultivate on the land.

Mr Uduma pointed out that the incident led to a reprisal attack on Ogiri people for allegedly masterminding the killing of Eme Agha. Narrating how Eme agha was killed, his Uncle who is also a Community Leader in Okporojo, Chief Osu Oduko explained that his remains were found decomposing in a swamp close to the rice farmland two days after he was ambushed along with his friends.

Chief Oduko who said, one of the victims was receiving medical attention at a hospital, however pointed out that he was not aware of any reprisal attack on Ogiri people A resident of the community, Mr. Iheanacho Okam told Radio Nigeria that normalcy was gradually returning to the area as security agencies had been patrolling the affected communities to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Mr. Jude Madu confirmed that only one person died while many houses were burnt in the incident but stressed that security agencies were on top of the situation. Mr. Madu said the perpetrators of the attacks would be prosecuted in line with the law.

AMECHI ODO