The state of violence and bloodshed in Ebonyi State demands an urgent call for Emergency response from the Government, the Traditional Ruler...
The state of violence and bloodshed in Ebonyi State demands an urgent call for Emergency response from the Government, the Traditional Rulers and the Elites in the State. The state has been plagued with recurring violence, killings and destruction of Properties worth Billions of Naira.
The causes of violence in the state are usually from Attacks by Terrorist Fulani bandits who have besieged the State to exterminate the innocent Citizens and occupy the Land. They have attacked Ebonyi over a hundred times, raping the women, destroying their farmlands, burning down houses and properties. On no account have these Islamic bandits been apprehended and prosecuted. The Government and its security give them protection.
A most recent attack by these herders was in Agba Community on July 13, 2025. They killed two people in Agba community, Ishielu Local Government Area. The victims were identified as Sunday Oyibe, a school proprietor, and Chukwu Ebuka. No investigation or Government visit to the community.
One major cause of violence in Ebonyi State is communal clashes and land disputes. In these situations, different communities attack one another over land ownership issues. Communities such as Ikwo, Izzi, and Ezza have frequently made headlines due to these conflicts, resulting in significant loss of life and property.
On May 1, 2024, an attack in Inikiri village, located in the Ezza Effium community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, left at least 10 people dead. This assault also led to the destruction of property, including a health centre. Additionally, on April 25, 2025, violence erupted in Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo, over a leadership struggle within the community, resulting in one death and two injuries.
Another land dispute occurred between the Mkpumaekwoku and Onweonweya communities in the Izzi Local Government Area. This long-standing conflict led to three deaths and the destruction of over 50 houses.
There is yet another angle of this violence from the Government itself. The unprovoked ethnic cleansing by the Government in the entire Southeast region under the pretense of stopping the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from actualizing the restoration of the sovereign State of Biafra.
Fortunately, the right to seek self-determination is enshrined in the U.N. Charter on the Rights to Self-Determination, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has won numerous cases against the Nigerian Government in the Federal High Courts. Unfortunately, the Nigerian Government does not uphold its own laws, which is why the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been imprisoned in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for over four years.
In a bid to quench the movement of Biafra sovereignty, the security Forces have killed more people than any other invader in Ebonyi State and the entire Southeast region of Nigeria. Okpoto community in Ishielu Local Government has faced countless attacks by the Nigerian Security Apparatus.
They have abducted and killed so many youths, whom they claim to be IPOB members, and set their houses ablaze. This unprovoked ethnic cleansing has never been investigated, and it continues unabated to date. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, and hundreds of houses have been razed. Thousands of people are languishing in different prisons in the North, West and East of Nigeria.
There is also violence from the political arena. The corrupt politicians in Ebonyi State have, on several occasions, set their loyalists against their opponents. They arm innocent youths to attack and kill their perceived opponents, thereby leading to loss of lives and properties. At other times, these youths end up as kidnappers when the Election period is over. This government-promoted crisis often leads to long-term enmity amongst people.
The recurring violence and killings in Ebonyi call for an emergency. It requires action from the Government, the Traditional Rulers and non-state actors. The state government has sat on the fence for too long, allowing the state to bleed from severe security challenges. The Governor must prioritize the protection of its citizens and work towards finding lasting solutions to these conflicts.
Written by
Nkiru Okere
Edited by
Oby M
For State Delta Media Team
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