Tears as pregnant woman, eight others killed in Ebonyi, Cross River communal clash

NO fewer than nine persons, including a pregnant woman, have been reportedly killed as Ofioji people in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State and their neighbours from Ijutun-Idoru in Obubura council area of Cross River State renewed hostilities over boundary.

Though information was sketchy at the time of this report, it was alleged that some people from Ijutun-Odoru attacked Ofioji in the early hours of Friday, shooting sporadically and killing the nine persons

The attackers also allegedly burnt over 56 houses. Addressing journalists yesterday at a location where they were taking refuge, the head of   Ofioji, Chief Nwobegu Mbam, narrated how his people were allegedly slaughtered and called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid.

Mbam said that during the attack, a pregnant woman he identified as Ukamaka Nwifuru lost her life while houses belonging to his people were razed.

“It was very late on Friday; we had gone to bed but suddenly a very terrifying sound was heard in our community and, in the ensuing confusion, we ran out only to see many houses on fire and that was when we knew that the people of Cross River have invaded our territory again.

They were shooting our people without mercy; they burnt our houses and carted away our property.” When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to Ebonyi State Governor, Emmanuel Uzor, described the incident as barbaric and called on law enforcement agencies to investigate the clash.  Punch