By Ruth Oginyi
The people of the Effium Autonomous community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have distanced themselves from the alleged six missing persons along the Ebonyi-Benue boundary communities in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
This was contained in a statement signed by Hon Amos Akpa, Secretary General Effium Community Town Union, who called on security agencies to investigate the matter to bring the perpetrators to book.
It would be recalled that this is not the first time that persons who are unconnected to the Effium/Ezza-Effium crisis which has lingered for more than two years are killed by suspected warlords.
The statement reads, “We wish to express our dismay over a publication by Daily Post Nigeria Metro newspaper of 2nd June 2024 in which one Chief Okebili Nwoka alleged that six persons are missing along Ebonyi – Benue boundary Community in Ado local government area of Benue state and that the victims have been traced to Akparata village where they were suspected to have been seized by Effium warlords who have been engaged in a communal crisis with Ezza people.
“Ordinarily and in line with our avowed peaceful disposition, we wouldn’t have wasted our precious man-hour to respond to this fake and unsubstantiated news but because of the sensitive nature of the news and its capability of misleading the public, especially as it links the law-abiding people of Effium in Akparata to this condemnable and unfortunate incidence.
“We wish to state in clear terms that Effium people in Akparata are innocent of this barbaric act and the unfounded allegation that the victims were seized by Effium warlords is baseless, weighty, unfortunate and laughable.
“This is a sinister mission taken too far and we consider it as a desperate attempt to once again cause disaffection between Effium people and her Izzi brothers having failed in previous attempts. The public should be aware that mischief makers and unfortunate moneybags who have been bankrolling the Ezzas in waging war against Effium people are at it again.
“It is on records that the initial information from the Coordinator of Effium Development Centre, Mr Ogbonna points to the fact that the victims were traced to Odum village in Benue state and not Akparata, therefore bringing Akparata village into the picture is an afterthought and a collective conspiracy of the highest order.
“Once again, we wish to state for the information of all that Akparata people are not aware of the missing persons, we, therefore call on security agencies to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to face justice. In the same vein, Chief Okebili Nwoka should be thoroughly investigated for complicity”, he concluded.
It would be recalled that six persons were allegedly missing at the Ebonyi-Benue boundary community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
A community leader, Chief Okebili Nwokwa, said the six family members went missing on the weekend when they visited some Fulani herders stationed at the boundary community to buy cows for the burial of their late in-law, Ogbuagu Ngbo of Nkaleke village.
Nwokwa named the victims to include Obinna Ajah, Aloysius Ajah, Titus Nwogha, Friday Nwuzu, Emeka Okwor, and Anthony Ibina, who are both from Onuebor-Nomeh.
