Two people have reportedly been killed in a fresh outbreak of violence between the people of Umuobor-Akaeze and their Ogwor neighbors in Ishiagu, both in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The decades-long land dispute, which has claimed numerous lives and led to the destruction of properties worth billions of naira, reignited on Monday when suspected assailants allegedly ambushed and killed a man and a woman on the contested land.
Sources from the community confirmed the attack, linking it to the ongoing battle over a vast, fertile land known as Elueke.
The conflict between the two communities has persisted for nearly 50 years, with repeated attempts at peace yielding little result.
In response to the escalating violence, Governor Francis Nwifuru had previously declared the disputed land a buffer zone and established a committee to mediate the crisis.
However, concerns remain over the effectiveness of these measures in stopping further bloodshed.
Reacting to the renewed clashes, social media commentator, Mr. Nwoba Chika Nwoba, called on the state government to take urgent action to end the violence.
“I got information that these aged persons were killed in the fight between Ishiagu and Akaeze today in Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State,” he said on Tuesday.
“I had written twice earlier that the governor, Francis Nwifuru, should do something urgently to bring this to a halt, but I’m not sure he has done anything obvious to end the feud.
“I’m still calling on the governor to do something to end this lest it becomes too difficult to handle. Every life matters, stakeholders of these two towns should join hands and get this unnecessary bloodshed quenched.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Joshua Ukandu, said he had yet to receive any official report on the latest killings.
Residents have continued to live in fear, urging the government to intervene decisively before the situation spirals further out of control.
