Many injured as power tussle turns bloody in Ebonyi, Benue border community

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A power struggle between the residents of Ugboenyim, a village that borders Benue and Ebonyi states, has resulted in a number of confirmed hospitalisations and injuries.

The Izzi-speaking village known as Ugboenyim is located in Benue State and is anthropologically Ebonyi State.

They belong to the southern senatorial zone of Benue State and are under the jurisdiction of the Ado Local Government Area.

ZINGTIE discovered that since it started in 2006, the community’s power struggle has resulted in multiple fatalities and damaged assets valued at millions of naira.

Despite desperate attempts to end the situation, many of the people who just returned to the trenches suffered severe injuries from various weapons, such as canes, machetes, and gunfire, when the two warring factions clashed.

Domestic livestock, such as goats, local cows, and dogs, were destroyed as a result of the crisis, and properties were looted during the chaos.

Nwofor Chukwuemeka, Benard Ukpa, and Mr. Chukwuma Iboko are among the injured.

They claimed that members of the community who identify as the “Plan B Club” attacked them, and they blamed the incident on Romanus Ishiali, who is allegedly the group’s head.

They clarified that because they did not engage in community service, they were flogged with machetes and canes and bound like normal criminals.

However, they claimed that no such work existed in the region.

Mrs. Obaleze Eto mentioned her goat, which she was getting ready to use for funeral ceremonies of her late child, was forcefully taken away from her by the group.

“Romanus came and collected a goat I wanted to use for the burial of my child and left without telling me my offence.

“I waited for him to bring it back to me but he refused. I bought another goat for the burial rites. Up till now, that goat has not been returned to me,” she said

The village head of the community, Chief Omogo Ijere, informed the ZINGTIE that he was compelled to report the Plan B Club’s activities to the police in Igumali, Benue State, because they had been frightening the locals, attacking them, maiming them, and stealing their belongings.

“When, I was coming back after reporting the matter, I was called by one of my children and warned not to return to our place, that this Plan B Club people have blocked our community and are very armed,” he stated.

However, Romanus Ishiali refuted every accusation made against him.

He told ZINGTIE that members of Chief Omogo Ijere’s group were robbing homes and domestic animals, as well as forcibly harvesting yams and other people’s crops in the neighbourhood.

Ishiali charged that the faction was sponsored by Barrister Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the senator from Ebonyi North and Senate Deputy Chief Whip.

“Our lives are under threat, we have been marked for elimination. They have been looking for me to kill me.

“Senator Nwebonyi has been arresting our people and imprisoning them in Benue State just because we refused to follow him. He offered me money and motorcycle and I rejected it because I don’t want those things and that is the cause of ordering my removal as the youth leader of our community.

“Some of us can’t enter our village again and that is why you are seeing us here in Abakaliki because they said that they will kill us if we enter the village. We want the governors of Ebonyi and Benue states to come to our aid before this thing causes inter-state war,” Ishiali added.

Ishiali and other members of his Plan B organisation committed numerous crimes in the neighbourhood, and the police are pursuing them, Senator Nwebonyi said.

“They committed a lot of crimes; maiming some members of the community and stealing their properties and police is after them.

“They begged me to suppress the matter but I told them that what they did is evil, that even my cousin brother who is said to be among them should be charged to court.

“So they got and started paper war which I know is being sponsored by some of my political friends.

“So they are trying to divert attention here while Police is looking for them there. That place is Ado Local Government Area, Benue State.

“The chairman is looking for them and that’s why they are running helter -scalter,” he said.

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