June 02, (THEWILL) – At least one person has been killed and four others injured in a suspected politically motivated attack in Ekoli-Edda, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Community sources told THEWILL that the violence, which occurred on Sunday morning, also left several houses and properties destroyed.
The attack is believed to be the latest in a series of clashes between two rival political factions battling for supremacy in the area.
According to residents, the attackers, numbering over ten, targeted allies and supporters of a former council chairman and ex-member of the state House of Assembly, Eni Uduma Chima.
A community member, Chima Oko Obasi, said the thugs first struck around 10am and killed one Okoro Obasi from Ndibom village.
The deceased’s body was later deposited at the morgue.
Obasi alleged that the victim’s children and their friends were also attacked, sustaining deep machete wounds. The assailants reportedly went on to destroy homes and other valuable properties belonging to residents.
He added that the attackers later ambushed Mr. Eni Uduma Chima in Mgborokuma community while he was returning from inspecting the damaged houses, including one reportedly belonging to a Port Harcourt-based businessman, Ama Okoro Ibiam.
Another eyewitness, Nnachi Ndem, corroborated the account, saying: “We were at Mgborokuma when the ‘Catcham Boys’ arrived and started shooting.
“Three people almost lost their lives. They’ve been attacking us since our members returned from prison following the amnesty granted by Governor Francis Nwifuru. Our people are angry and are watching how the government handles this situation.”
Ndem warned that if no decisive action is taken, the community may resort to self-defence.
Confirming the incident, Eni Uduma Chima said the deceased was his uncle and that the attack stemmed from his family’s connection to those recently pardoned under the state’s amnesty programme.
“Yes, I received a call early Sunday morning that my uncle, Mr. Okoro Obasi of Ndibom village, was killed by thugs known as the ‘Catcham Boys.’
“He reportedly died from internal bleeding after being attacked at home. His only offence was that his son participated in the state’s amnesty programme, and he’s also related to me,” he said.
Chima said he rushed to the community from Abakaliki to calm tensions and assess the damage. However, while leaving the scene of a burnt house, he and his entourage were ambushed.
“They opened fire on us, shattered the windows of my Prado Jeep, and injured three persons — Chinoyerem Ikwor, Uka Anya Egwu, and Udu Uche — who sustained bullet wounds. They’re currently receiving treatment at the hospital,” he said.
He called on security agencies to act swiftly and arrest those responsible, warning that the provocations could push the community beyond its limits.
“Those causing this unrest are less than 20 individuals. If the community defends itself, they’ll be wrongly labelled as violent.
“These people have been testing the patience of my supporters since the amnesty in March. There’s a limit to how much they can endure,” he warned.
Police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident but said details were still sketchy. He added that security operatives had been deployed to restore calm in the area.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
