The Police Command in Ebonyi State says it has arrested 10 suspects in connection with the killing and beheading of four people in Okporojọr Village, Oso Edda Community, Edda Local Government Area of the state.
The attack, which occurred on Thursday, is linked to a protracted land dispute between the people of Oso Edda, in Edda and their Amasiri neighbours in Afikpo Local Government Area.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the two neighbouring villages have been at war over a disputed farmland for several years.
NAN also reports that the latest crises led to the suspected warlords beheading four people, burning houses and other valuable properties in the village.
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The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Adaku Uche-Anya, while on an assessment visit to the scene of the incident on Saturday, said 10 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
“This attack had caused the death of four persons, three males and one female.
“Several mud houses were burnt; windows of a church building damaged; and harvested paddy rice destroyed,” she said.
According to the police commissioner, the incident was linked to a long-standing land dispute between Okporojọr Village in Oso Edda Community in Edda and Ndukwe Community in Amasiri, Afikpo.
“Upon receipt of the report, we immediately ordered the massive deployment of the command tactical squads to the scene to restore calm and normalcy,” she added.
The commissioner, while addressing members of the community, commiserated with the people of Okporojọr Village over the tragic loss of lives and destruction of property.
Ms Uche-Anya assured them of the command’s commitment to ensuring justice in the matter.
She emphasised that investigations were ongoing and that the command would not relent until all those involved are brought to justice.
The police commissioner further assured the community that the security deployment already in place would be sustained until the situation is fully resolved.
She appealed against people resorting to self-help and taking the law into their own hands.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Edda local council, Chima Ekuma-Nkama, appreciated the Ebonyi State Government and the police for their swift intervention.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi has sacked political appointees and dethroned traditional rulers from the Amasiri community of Afikpo over alleged complicity in the attack.
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Mr Nwifuru, who visited the Okporojo community on Saturday, said that the Amasiri community had not shown enough commitment to maintain permanent peace in the area, and the government had decided “to bare its fangs”.
“All government appointees from Amasiri from the local government development centre–management committee members to commissioners have been sacked.
“Traditional rulers from Amasiri will have their certificates of recognition withdrawn while all town union leaderships of villages in the community are dissolved,” he said.
