No fewer than eight persons, including a three-year-old child and a wife of a police officer, were yesterday burnt to death in a renewed communal crisis in Ebonyi State.
The crisis, which ensued between Ikwo and Abakaliki local government areas resulting from land dispute, has lasted for many years now.
The victims were said to be returning from matriculation ceremony that took place at the Ebonyi State University, and stumbled into some unknown hoodlums who were shooting sporadically.
It was gathered that when the victims saw the hoodlums, the driver tried to turn back from the scene but the car fell into a gutter, and the hoodlums started shooting at the car’s fuel tank and it caught fire.
When contacted, the Ebonyi state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident. “It is a longstanding dispute between Ndiagu Alike Ikwo and Enyibichiri community in Abakaliki that erupted the other day.
“A vehicle was seen burning on the road…, allegedly set ablaze by warriors from one of the communities.
“The victims were coming from Abakaliki where they attended a matriculation of their son. Five of them were from the same family including a little baby and one is a neighbour who joined them.
“They were burnt to ashes. Three other persons were also attacked and two of them were killed. One of them a woman was the wife of a police officer deployed to Borno state,” she added.
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