The people of Effium Autonomous Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have distanced themselves from the alleged disappearance of six persons along the Ebonyi-Benue boundary communities in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
This was contained in a statement signed by Hon. Amos Akpa, Secretary General of the Effium Community Town Union, who called on security agencies to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
It should be recalled that this is not the first time that individuals unconnected to the Effium/Ezza-Effium crisis, which has lingered for more than two years, have been killed by suspected warlords.
The statement reads, “We wish to express our dismay over a publication by Newspot Metro newspaper on 2nd June 2024, in which one Chief Okebili Nwoka alleged that six persons are missing along the Ebonyi-Benue boundary community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State and that the victims have been traced to Akparata village, where they were suspected to have been seized by Effium warlords engaged in a communal crisis with Ezza people.
“Ordinarily, and in line with our avowed peaceful disposition, we wouldn’t have wasted our precious time responding to this fake and unsubstantiated news. However, due to the sensitive nature of the news and its capability of misleading the public, especially as it links the law-abiding people of Effium in Akparata to this condemnable and unfortunate incident, we felt compelled to respond.
“We wish to state in clear terms that Effium people in Akparata are innocent of this barbaric act, and the unfounded allegation that the victims were seized by Effium warlords is baseless, weighty, unfortunate, and obviously laughable.
“This is a sinister mission taken too far, and we consider it a desperate attempt to once again cause disaffection between Effium people and their Izzi brothers, having failed in previous attempts.
“The public should be aware that mischief-makers and unfortunate moneybags who have been bankrolling the Ezzas in waging war against Effium people are at it again.
“It is on record that the initial information from the Coordinator of Effium Development Centre, Mr. Ogbonna, points to the fact that the victims were traced to Odum village in Benue State and not Akparata. Therefore, bringing Akparata village into the picture is an afterthought and a collective conspiracy of the highest order.
“Once again, we wish to state for the information of all that Akparata people are not aware of the missing persons. We, therefore, call on security agencies to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to face justice. In the same vein, Chief Okebili Nwoka should be thoroughly investigated for complicity,” he concluded.
Newspot recalls that six persons were allegedly missing at the Ebonyi-Benue boundary community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
A community leader, Okebili Nwoka, said the six family members went missing over the weekend when they visited some Fulani herders stationed at the boundary community to buy a cow for the burial of their late in-law, Ogbuagu Ngbo of Nkaleke village.
Nwoka named the victims as Obinna Ajah, Aloysius Ajah, Titus Nwogha, Friday Nwuzu, Emeka Okwor, and Anthony Ibina, all from Onuebor-Nomeh.
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