Two persons were on Sunday beheaded by gunmen who invaded Ikachi, Akparata Community in Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s south-east.

Residents said the gunmen, suspected to be warlords from the neighbouring Ezza Community, attacked the Akparata Community in Effium around 3 a.m.

Ezza Effium and their Uffiom neighbours within the Effium clan in the Ohaukwu Local Government of the state have been engaged in a deadly dispute for some years now.

The crisis has resulted in the loss of several lives, displacement of hundreds of people and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.

‘We’ve run away for fear’

One of the residents, Charles Ogbu, identified the victims of the latest attack as 19-year-old Obinna Aje and 78-year-old Ogenyi Abowu.

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said the gunmen also abducted seven persons – five females and two males – during the attack.

“They also burnt down more than 10 residential houses. Some people have run away out of fear,” the resident said.

“Many people also sustained gunshot injuries.”

Police speak

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, on Monday, he confirmed the killing and abduction in the community.

Mr Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, said police operatives in the state have launched an operation to track down the killers.

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“Immediately the incident happened, we dispatched a team of policemen to the place. So, security has already been beefed up in the area,” he said.

The latest development occurred weeks after gunmen attacked the residents of Inikiri, a village in the Ezza Effium Community, killing 11 people, including a pregnant woman.