Six Killed in Ebonyi in Renewed Communal Land Dispute

Six persons were reportedly killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in a renewed land dispute between the people of Enyigba, Abakaliki Local Government Area and their Enyibichiri Alike-Ikwo, Ikwo Local Government in the state.

THISDAY gathered that the two communities have been at war since 30 years, following which the state government said it has taken over the disputed land.

Governor David Umahi in a bid to quell the crisis set up a committee.

The committee had concluded its reports when militia started shooting and burning houses in the area.

Angered by this, Umahi declared that the state government has taken over the disputed land and ordered security agents to shoot-at-sight anybody found encroaching on the land.

The governor made the declaration at the government house Abakaliki during a security meeting with stakeholders of the two local governments with all the security chiefs in attendance.

Umahi said: “If this crisis continues, there will be no more salaries in the two local government areas. I will slush the salaries of the appointees in the two communities into security problems

“Ebonyi State Government has taken over that parcel of land and anybody that enters there; it is shoot at-sight. I am directing the security agencies to arrest within the next seven days all the people that are doing the burnings and the shootings. They have to rebuild the houses they have burnt; anybody that crosses that land is guilty of 10 years imprisonment.