OVER 1,000 DISPLACED IN BENUE, EBONYI BORDER CLASH

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Over 1,000 Displaced In Benue, Ebonyi Border Clash
Thu, 28/06/2012 ? 3:03am | SOLOMON AYADO News Crime

Over 1000 inhabitants of Agila Local Government, Benue State and Ngwo Local Government in Ebonyi State have been displaced from their homes following renewed border clashes between the two neighbouring communities.

Ten persons were, Tuesday, reported killed when the neighboring communities engaged in destruction of farmlands and killing of residents over perennial land dispute.

LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that the inhabitants of the two rival communities had threatened without resolution, to persist in the eruption of the crises and that they were sick and tired of condoning the land disagreement and therefore would exchange fire till government intervenes in the matter and a permanent solution is reached.

It was gathered that peasant farmers of Ngwo community had reportedly hired war mercenaries and deployed them to Agila community of Benue, the development that forced residents of the Ai-Nedu clan to take refuge at Apa-Agila town of Ado Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that farmers of Agila community had not at any instance provoked the peace of Ngwo community adding that rather, it was the bordering community of the Ibo speaking area that deployed over 100 armed fierce looking men who allegedly dressed in military uniforms and ambushed the Igilolo and Agila communities.

?It is very devastating for hired war lords to come to our communities with sophisticated arms and displace inhabitants. They came in hundreds and ambushed the entire clan. This is uncalled for and government should intervene in the matter if not, this is the beginning of a severe war. We cannot continue to fight over land again,? a witness said.

The caretaker Chairman of Ado Local Government Area, Mr. Bernard Ochepa described the attack as sad and confirmed that thousands of the people of the affected communities had been displaced from their homes, even as he stated that so many farmlands were totally razed.

The police Assistant Public Relations Officer, in charge of public complaints, ASP Alaribe Ejike confirmed the renewed clashes and said the Benue State Police Command had since deployed peace keeping policemen to the affected areas, revealing that one person was confirmed dead and that the command was going on with investigation.

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