The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects in connection with the killing and beheading of four persons during a violent clash in Okporojọr Village, Oso Edda Community, Edda Local Government Area of the state.
The attack, which occurred on Thursday, January 29, was linked to a renewed outbreak of a long-standing land dispute between Oso Edda Community in Edda LGA and their neighbours in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area.
Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Adaku Uche-Anya, disclosed this on Saturday during an assessment visit to the affected community, where she described the incident as brutal and tragic.
According to the police commissioner, the clash claimed the lives of four persons, three males and one female, while several houses were razed. She added that windows of a church building were vandalised and harvested paddy rice destroyed during the violence.
“This attack, which occurred on January 29, resulted in the death of four persons. Several mud houses were burnt, church windows damaged, and harvested rice destroyed,” Uche-Anya said.
She explained that preliminary investigations linked the violence to a protracted land dispute between Okporojọr Village in Oso Edda Community and Ndukwe Community in Amasiri, Afikpo LGA, noting that the two communities had been in conflict over farmland for several years.
Uche-Anya said the command immediately deployed tactical squads to the area upon receiving reports of the attack, a move she said helped to restore calm and prevent further escalation.
“Well, upon receipt of the report, we immediately ordered the massive deployment of the command’s tactical squads to the scene to restore calm and normalcy,” she added.
While addressing members of the affected community, the police commissioner commiserated with the people of Okporojọr Village over the loss of lives and destruction of property, assuring them that justice would be served.
She stressed that investigations were ongoing and vowed that the command would not relent until all those involved in the killings were apprehended and prosecuted.
The CP further assured residents that security personnel already deployed to the area would remain until the situation was fully resolved, while cautioning against self-help and taking the law into one’s hands.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Edda Local Government Area, Mr. Chima Ekumankama, commended the Ebonyi State Government and the Nigeria Police Force for their swift intervention, describing it as timely and reassuring for the affected communities.
