Hundreds of people were reported to have fled the border communities between Benue and Ebonyi States following the renewed attack on Agila people of Ado local government area of Benue State.

The Agila and Ngbo people of Benue and Ebonyi states respectively had long been at each other throat over land disputes leading to loss of several lives.

The crisis was said to have been escalated in the past few days leading to the sack of some villages in Agila.

A community leader in Ado local government area of Benue state, Otse Otokpa told our correspondent that the latest attack on Agila by Ngbo people was to frustrate the planned visit of Boundary Commission expected this week.

Otokpa said, “The crisis which has preceded many years have seen many killed in the past, you know the problem is all about land, last month the boundary Commission was to visit the area but postponed to this month and each time the commission plans to visit the area, the Ngbo people will launch attack purposely to frustrate the visit.

“Since the past few days, the Ngbo people have consistently launched attacks on Agila, even early this morning, they invaded the community but there is no record of death.

Also speaking with journalists on phone, Parish priest of St. Peters’ Catholic Church, Agila Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Onoja said his church came under heavy attack by the Ngbo warriors.

“There was heavy shooting in the Church. Since the crisis started, this is the first time, I am experiencing this. They wrote an inscription on the wall telling Agila people to depart the land. They nearly killed a young man who was farming behind the Church.

“As am talking to you, am the only one in the church everyone has gone”, adding that he called the Deputy Governor Engr. Benson Abounu who promised that government would send soldiers to the area but said that the soldiers were yet to come as at the time of filing this report.

READ ALSO: Goat undergoes caesarian section, gives birth to strange kid with human-shaped skull in Argungu

The Caretaker Chairman, Ado local government, Mr. James Oche who decried the incessant attack on the people of Agila by Ngbo people of Ebonyi State accused the Ngbo people of attempt to frustrate the boundary demarcation between Benue and Ebonyi States as well as Enugu and Benue States.

He said, “this is the second attack on a week. They attacked Government Secondary School, Agila and a Catholic Church. Though, there is no casualty but basically, they are carrying out these attacks to frustrate the Federal government’s efforts at re beaconing the Benue/Enugu and Benue/Ebonyi boundaries.

“As a matter of fact, we saw that there would be further attacks on Oha-Agila, Ijigban, and Ekele, these are border communities. Only recently the Federal government released money for re beaconing of our boundaries. So, all these attacks are meant to frustrate the process”, Oche observed.

Meanwhile, all efforts to get the comments of the Benue State Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu who is the Chairman, Interstate Boundary Committee failed as he neither responded to calls nor replied to text messages sent to his phone.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene said she was not aware of the attacks.v