Not fewer than Two persons have been confirmed dead while three others are still missing following a renewed communal clashes between the people of Izzi in Ebonyi State and their neighbours of Obubara community in Cross River State.
It was also revealed that three other persons from Obeagu Ibom, Amachi, Izzi community are still missing following the clash.
It was further learnt that some houses in the community were also burnt while many residents of the area have been rendered homeless.
Confirming the inciident, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Loveth Odah said that though the situation is now under control, the command has beefed up security in the community.
According to her, ‘ the DPO Izzi Division said he lead a team to the Obeagu Ibom village in Amachi community, which was attacked by Ijega, Apiamkpum, Orinya villages all in Obubara in Cross River State.
“Adequate security have been beefed up in the place and the Commissioner of Police Philip Maku, has called on his Cross River counterpart to do the same on their side so that peace will rain while the national boundary commission have also been contacted for demarcation to avoid further destruction of properties and lose of life.
“It was difficult earlier to enter the warring communities as the men of Cross River state were seen aggressively around there but yesterday the police in Ebonyi succeeded in entering into Obeagu Ibom village.
“Some houses were burnt, some were also damaged, two persons were killed among them is a 9 years old boy.
“The second person is a male whose is yet to be identified as the villagers have deserted the area to a nearby community”.
“More Police officers have been deployed to beef up security and restore normalcy to the area and to avoid another attack on the people”, she said
“The villagers are believed to have fled the community and taken refuge in nearby communities”.
A source who spoke to Newsmen in Abakaliki on grounds of anonymity revealed that the long boundary war restarted on Wednesday leaving a 9 year old boy and a man whose identities is still unknown dead.
He stated that suspected warriors from the three Cross River communities having boundary with the Izzi Community invaded the community.
According to him, the communities include Apiampkum, Ijaga and Oruenya, all in Obubara local government area of Cross River state.
“The invaders upon entering the community started shooting sporadically and destroyed many houses belonging to the community”.
“The warlords from Cross River took over the Ebonyi community on Wednesday and were shooting sporadically at them. The police retreated to avoid return firing because if they didn’t retreat, the Cross River people will continue to shoot. Three houses were burnt down”, a source said
“The warlords from Cross River took over the village and the villagers relocated to the neighboring communities.
“But yesterday police succeeded in entering the village under attack at Obeagu Ibom village.
“Many houses were damaged, three persons declared missing and two reportedly killed, their bodies were seen on the road but no one could identify them because the village is deserted. Ends.
