Ebonyi govt condemns killings of Ebonyi citizens in Benue by herders

 

Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State.

Ebonyi state government has condemned in a strong term the razing down of hundreds of houses, maiming and killings of innocent Ebonyi citizens living in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected herders.

The State Commissioner of Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday.

NATIONAL PANEL earlier gathered that over twenty innocent indigenes of Izzi and Ebonyi LGAs were killed while hundreds of houses belonging to the affected victims were razed by the herders.

But Emegha said that Police, Ebubeagu security outfit and other security agencies have been mobilized to the boundary of the two States to avert a spill over to other nearby communities of Okwofuruike, Odoke and Ohabuleodo respectively, in Izzi and Ebonyi LGAs of Ebonyi State.

“Ebonyi state government has taken adequate security measures  to ensure that the invasion in the early hours of today of Nwori Ndi-Ibasi village in Ado LGA  of Benue state by herders does not spill over to neighboring villages in Izzi and Ebonyi LGAs.

 “The Ebonyi State Government has observed with dismay the invasion of Nwori Ndi-Obasi Village in Ado LGA of Benue State in the early hours of today, Sunday, 30th May, 2021.  The unfortunate incident was perpetrated by suspected herders who ruthlessly attacked unsuspecting inhabitants of the village killing, maiming and had burnt down several houses.  

“The concern of the State Government is however heightened against the backdrop that the victims of the attack in the affected village are predominantly made up of people of Izzi extraction in Izzi  LGA who are indigenes of Benue State.

“To forestall possible spill-over of the attack to the neighboring villages of Okwofuruike, Odoke and Ohabuleodo respectively, in Izzi and Ebonyi LGAs, Ebonyi State Government effectively mobilized and dispatched a combined team of Security Agencies and members of Ebubeagu Security Outfit to ensure that peace and normalcy is restored in the troubled area.

“Meanwhile, the State Government has equally taken necessary steps with a view to settling the hospital bill of survivors of the attack with different degree of injuries who are currently hospitalized at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki and Sudan Mission Hospital, Onuenyim Izzi while His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State has directed for the immediate distribution of relieve materials to the bereaved families and displaced victims.

“Therefore, the good people of the neighbouring villages of Okwofuruike, Odoke and Ohabuleodo in Izzi LGA are enjoined to remain calm as the Ebonyi State Government is not only on top of the situation but is committed to safeguarding lives and property of citizens of the state,” the statement read.