The people of Amakpu kindred, Mgbede in Akaeze Community, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State have called on Governor Francis Nwifuru to save them from killings, looting and vandalism of property and other criminal activities by some suspected youths.
Narrating their ordeal to LEADERSHIP Sunday, one of the community members, Mr Chikezie Okor, said trouble started when the community was thrown into crisis following the killing of one Mrs Cecilia Eze on November 9, 2024.
He maintained that after the killing of Mrs Eze, there was subsequent arrest, killing and burning of the house of the alleged killer of the deceased on November 12.
Mr Okor said that on November 13, the Amakpu kindred were chased out of their community following an allegation that the young man who was said to have murdered Mrs Eze allegedly confessed that the Amakpu kindred sponsored him to carry out the act.
“Since then, there has been coordinated attacks on the people of Amakpu. The youths have been destroying our houses and farm proceeds, looting our property and other criminal activities on the unsubstantiated claim.
“The degree of killings, destruction and looting of our property and farm proceeds by hoodlums in the community has become so alarming and we are calling for the intervention of the state governor, Francis Nwifuru to put an end to the intimidation.
“The State Government should assist us in resolving the issues so that peace and normalcy will return to Mgbede again. Our lives are in danger and nobody is safe again in Mgbede Akaeze.
“Over a hundred family men are no longer living in Mgbede due to the activities of these hoodlums. What is happening in Mgbede is pathetic and the community is not the cause of the crisis,” he said.
He accused the coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre, Mr Chinasa Okorie of not doing enough in bringing a lasting solution to the unfortunate incident. But Mr Okorie said that he has done so much in trying to put an end to the crisis in the community and assured that in no distant time, permanent peace would return to the area.
He noted that he recently held a meeting with the aggrieved parties and has softened the ground for those that ran away from the community to return home for a lasting peace to return.
When contacted, the chairman Ivo LGA, Mr Emmanuel Ajah said that when the matter started following a video of a man who was being accused of multiple killings in Akaeze “whom we heard was later set ablaze, I immediately swung into action after I had condemned the jungle justice against the young man.
“One is presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a competent court of jurisdiction. I have constituted a committee headed by Hon Joseph Obasi to look into the matter.
“The committee held meetings with Mgbede Community and were about to report back to me before Mgbede youths decided to take laws into their hands claiming that the presence of government in their matter would delay justice.”
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