Seven persons were reportedly killed in a communal clash between residents of Ikpanya Clan, in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and warriors of Ugbo community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State. The attack was reportedly caused by the consistent encroachment of the people of the Ugbo community on the lands of their neighbors.
Reports say four persons were missing, others severely injured while over six houses were razed in the fresh clash. It was also gathered that a woman identified as Memfin Udo, was gang-raped by the Arochukwu warriors during the attack on Ikpanya village.
Isaac Onosin the clan head of the Ikpanya community said:
“Ikpanya shares boundaries with eight villages of Arochukwu in Abia State, but the perennial and incessant crisis is always with one village, that is the Ugbo people. And this always happens during every farming season.
The people of Ugbo will attack our people as they go to farm. They will beat our women and chase them away; packing the palm fruits they labor to cut. These people have continued to trouble our people every year.
On the 8th of this month, when my people went to cut palm fruit as I lifted ban on the cutting of palm fruits, the Ugbo people went and beat them, destroyed the palm fruits and carried some away.
They arrested three boys and one girl and kept them in their village square, and I had to call the DPO in Ibiono, telling him what happened.”
Odiko Macdon, the Akwa Ibom police command Public Relations Officer confirmed the attack but however debunked the news that 7 persons died, saying only two persons were killed in the clash.
He also revealed that Andrew Amiengheme the state commissioner of police had sent out officers and men to stop the crisis, promising that everything would get back to normal.
