Gunmen attack Ebonyi community, kill several residents, burn houses

Suspected gunmen launched a deadly attack on Amegu Nkalagha community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Sunday morning, killing several residents and setting houses on fire.

The attack is believed to be a reprisal over the reported killing of cattle belonging to herdsmen in the area.

Confirming the incident to The Nation, a community member, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi, said the assailants stormed the village in the early hours of Sunday, unleashing violence that left many dead and properties destroyed.

“I don’t have the number of casualties right now. We are still tracking and bringing out the dead bodies, especially those killed on their farms,” he said.

Another source revealed that a pastor of a Pentecostal church was among the victims. The source, who pleaded anonymity, insisted that the community was not responsible for the killing of the cows.

“We did not kill their cows. The cows were killed by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the forest,” the source claimed.

The Chairperson of Ishielu Local Government Area, Ifeoma Peace Agwu, also confirmed the attack.

“We are taking the victims’ bodies to the mortuary right now. I cannot talk much on it now. We will give more details later,” she said.

However, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, stated that he was not yet aware of the incident.