Residents of Agila community in Ado Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Benue State have fled their homes for their lives because of an alleged attacks by their Ebonyi State neighbours from Ngbo community.

According to Daily Trust, the two border communities of both Benue and Ebonyi states have been embroiled in a protracted land dispute, to such level that many people have died, as a result, in the past.

St. Peters’ Catholic Church in Agila’s parish priest, Rev. Father Emmanuel Onoja, told journalists on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020 in Makurdi that the Ngbo militia heavily attacked his church, following a renewed tension between the two warring factions.

There was heavy shooting in the Church. Since the crisis started, this is the first time, I am experiencing this. They wrote an inscription on the wall telling Agila people to depart the land. They nearly killed a young man who was farming behind the Church.

I called the Deputy Governor Engr. Benson Abounu who promised that the government will send soldiers to the area, but as I speak to you nothing has been done. We are living in fear. Several persons have deserted the area and fled to safety,

he said.

The Ado Council Chairman, James Oche, alleged that the renewed hostility against Agila community by Ngbo community was an attempt to frustrate the efforts to demarcate boundary between Benue and Ebonyi States, as well as the boundary between Enugu and Benue States.

He added:

This is the second attack in a week. They attacked Government Secondary School, Agila, and a Catholic Church. Though there are no casualties, basically, they are carrying out these attacks to frustrate the Federal government’s effort at re-beaconing the Benue/Enugu and Benue/Ebonyi boundaries.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.