Effium/Ezza crisis: Ebonyi community speaks involvement in alleged missing of six persons

Regarding the reported six-person disappearance along the Ebonyi-Benue border towns in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, the residents of Effium Autonomous Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have distanced themselves from the incident.

This was said in a statement issued by the Effium Community Town Union’s Secretary General, Hon. Amos Akpa, who urged law enforcement to look into the incident and apprehend those responsible.

Remember that there have been previous instances of suspected warlords killing people who had nothing to do with the over two-year-old Effium/Ezza-Effium problem.

The statement reads, “We wish to express our dismay over a publication by Daily Post Nigeria Metro newspaper on 2nd June 2024, in which one Chief Okebili Nwoka alleged that six persons are missing along the Ebonyi-Benue boundary community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State and that the victims have been traced to Akparata village, where they were suspected to have been seized by Effium warlords engaged in a communal crisis with Ezza people.

“Ordinarily, and in line with our avowed peaceful disposition, we wouldn’t have wasted our precious time responding to this fake and unsubstantiated news. However, due to the sensitive nature of the news and its capability of misleading the public, especially as it links the law-abiding people of Effium in Akparata to this condemnable and unfortunate incident, we felt compelled to respond.

“We wish to state in clear terms that Effium people in Akparata are innocent of this barbaric act, and the unfounded allegation that the victims were seized by Effium warlords is baseless, weighty, unfortunate, and obviously laughable.

“This is a sinister mission taken too far, and we consider it a desperate attempt to once again cause disaffection between Effium people and their Izzi brothers, having failed in previous attempts.

“The public should be aware that mischief-makers and unfortunate moneybags who have been bankrolling the Ezzas in waging war against Effium people are at it again.

“It is on record that the initial information from the Coordinator of Effium Development Centre, Mr. Ogbonna, points to the fact that the victims were traced to Odum village in Benue State and not Akparata. Therefore, bringing Akparata village into the picture is an afterthought and a collective conspiracy of the highest order.

“Once again, we wish to state for the information of all that Akparata people are not aware of the missing persons. We, therefore, call on security agencies to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to face justice. In the same vein, Chief Okebili Nwoka should be thoroughly investigated for complicity,” he concluded.

Six people were reported missing from the Ebonyi-Benue boundary hamlet in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, according to ZINGTIE.

The six family members went missing over the weekend, according to community leader Okebili Nwoka, when they went to buy a cow for their late in-law Ogbuagu Ngbo of Nkaleke village from some Fulani herders stationed at the boundary community.

Nwoka identified the victims as Anthony Ibina, Friday Nwuzu, Emeka Okwor, Aloysius Ajah, Obinna Ajah, and Titus Nwogha, all of Onuebor-Nomeh.

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