Scores of people have been hospitalized, and others injured following a violent communal clash stemming from a power tussle in Ugboenyim, a border community between Ebonyi and Benue states.
Ugboenyim, an Izzi-speaking community, is anthropologically part of Ebonyi State but geographically located in Benue State. It falls under Ado Local Government Area in the southern senatorial zone of Benue State.
Reports indicate that the ongoing power tussle in the community, which began in 2006, has claimed multiple lives and resulted in the destruction of properties worth millions of naira. Efforts to resolve the crisis have been unsuccessful, with tensions recently escalating into violence.
During a recent clash between the warring factions, many sustained grievous injuries inflicted by weapons such as canes, machetes, and gunfire. Domestic livestock, including goats, native cows, and dogs, were killed, and properties looted amid the chaos.
Victims Speak Out
Some injured residents, including Mr. Chukwuma Iboko, Bernard Ukpa, and Nwofor Chukwuemeka, alleged that members of a group known as the “Plan B Club” orchestrated the attack. They accused the group’s leader, Romanus Ishiali, of targeting individuals who allegedly failed to participate in communal work.
“They tied us like common criminals and flogged us with canes and machetes. But there was no such communal work in the area,” one of the victims claimed.
Mrs. Obaleze Eto recounted how her goat, intended for her child’s burial rites, was forcibly taken by the group.
“Romanus came and took the goat I wanted to use for my child’s burial without explaining why. I had to buy another goat, and the one he took has not been returned,” she lamented.
Community Leader’s Perspective
Chief Omogo Ijere, the village head, accused the Plan B Club of terrorizing the community, maiming residents, and looting properties. He revealed that he reported their actions to the police in Igumali, Benue State, but received threats afterward.
“One of my children called to warn me not to return home because the Plan B Club had blocked the community and were heavily armed,” he stated.
Accusations and Counterclaims
Romanus Ishiali, however, denied the allegations, claiming that Chief Omogo Ijere’s faction was responsible for looting and vandalism in the community. He also accused Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the Senate Deputy Chief Whip representing Ebonyi North, of sponsoring the attacks against his group.
“Our lives are under threat. Senator Nwebonyi has been arresting our people and imprisoning them in Benue State just because we refused to align with him. He offered me money and a motorcycle, but I rejected them,” Ishiali alleged.
Ishiali further called for the intervention of the governors of Ebonyi and Benue states to prevent the situation from escalating into an interstate conflict.
Senator Nwebonyi Responds
Senator Nwebonyi dismissed Ishiali’s claims, accusing him and the Plan B group of criminal activities, including maiming residents and looting properties. He affirmed that law enforcement agencies are pursuing the culprits.
“They committed numerous crimes, and even a cousin of mine involved in their activities is being charged to court. They begged me to suppress the matter, but I refused. They are now running and trying to divert attention while the police continue their investigation,” the senator said.
As tensions remain high, calls for government intervention to restore peace in the troubled community grow louder.