Tension has gripped Ihie Autonomous Community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following the brutal killing of a husband and wife, alleged to be farmers, in a renewed wave of violence between the indigenous Ihie people and Ezza settlers in the area.
The victims, whose names were yet to be officially released, were reportedly attacked on their farmland after earlier warnings from suspected assailants not to return to the disputed area.
Witnesses alleged that the attackers mutilated the bodies, cutting off the victims’ limbs before fleeing.
The violence came amid a long-running dispute over farmland ownership, dating back decades, between the Ihie community and Ezza settlers, who were initially granted land for farming in Ihie community.
Speaking at an emergency peace meeting in the palace of the traditional ruler of Ihie, His Royal Majesty Gabriel Okoro, Commissioner for Water Resources, Magnus Chinedu Nkah, condemned the killings and urged both sides to embrace dialogue.
"There is nothing like peace, and our people must do anything to uphold it. We will not tolerate any act of killing because it is a sacrilege in this community,” the Commissioner said, pledging his commitment to supporting peace initiatives while delivering on water projects across the state.
High Chief Ekenenneobodo Cletus, Ivo I of Ivo, recounted a history of cordial coexistence between Ihie and Ezza settlers until recent years, when disputes over land sales, rent, and boundaries escalated.
He alleged that some Ezza elements had, in recent months, blocked farm roads, assaulted community members, and destroyed property.
Among the most devastating incidents was the burning of the home of one Mr. Ekwueme, with losses estimated at over N20 million, including cement, rice, gari, generators, and electronics.
“We have been known for our accommodating spirit. But killing in Ishiagu and Ihie is a taboo.
"If you commit such an act, you must be banished for life. Our people will never take the law into their own hands, but we call on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice and recover the corpses of our slain kinsfolk for proper burial,” Cletus stated.
Security agencies, including the police and military, have been deployed to the area, but community leaders alleged that some suspects remain at large and have been evading invitations for questioning.
The local government chairman, Hon. Ajah Emmanuel, has set up a peace committee, but Ezza representatives have reportedly attended only once, insisting that their grievances stem from land sales being halted and rent increases.
Meanwhile, as tension simmers, Ihie women have embarked on prayers and fasting, demanding divine intervention and the return of peace to the troubled community.
