No fewer than 15 persons have been killed in a fresh communal crisis between Ngbo and Ezza villages in Nkwuada community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
It was gathered that the violence occurred on Saturday.
Sources claimed that most of those killed on Saturday were indigenes of Nkwuaba.
It was learnt that the violent crisis erupted following the killing of a native of Nkwuada allegedly by the Ezza settlers.
The deceased was said to have killed a cow belonging to an Ezza indigene.
A resident of the area, who pleaded anonymity, said, “The cow of Ezza man was said to be missing and they traced the missing cow to the farm of one Ngbo man.
“The Ezza didn’t wait to hear from the man (deceased) before they organised themselves and invited their warriors who went to his house and killed him in the night.
“So, upon investigation by the Nkwuada people, it was revealed that the deceased was killed by the Ezzas over an alleged missing cow belonging to an Ezzaman.
“The next day, having known who killed the deceased, the Ezzas quickly sent out some elders among them who came and calmed elders of Nkwuada and promised to bring out the perpetrators to face the law.
“But that did not happen, the people of Ngbo the next day mobilised and attacked the people of Ezza in their settlement and the Ezza the next day (Saturday) mobilised their warriors and attacked the people of Nkwuada and killed not less than 15 persons.”
But it was learnt from some other residents of the area that the issue of missing cow was not the real cause of the crisis.
They blamed the fresh violence on bottled anger among the people of Ezza who were on survival mission from Effium communal clash but were not allowed to settle in Nkwuaba.
Nkwuada community, it was learnt, shares boundaries with Effium and the people of Izzi in Ebonyi Local Government Area of the state, respectively.
Local Government Council Chairman of the area, Clement Odah, confirmed the incident, saying it occurred on Saturday with a fresh outbreak of hostilities on Monday.
But he did not give the number of those killed or the houses burnt.
“The incident happened on Saturday and another one happened yesterday being Monday. I have told you efforts we are making. Give us time to gather the fact or you go to the police. I spoke to you as the chief security officer of the local government area,” the council Chairman said.
Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chris Anyanwu, could not be reached for comments on the incident.
He didn’t pick his calls as of the time of filing this report.