News

Ezeship Conflict: How Magistrate, Journalists, and Security Forces Survive Attack in Ebonyi

Published by Tope Fakinlede on June 16th, 2024.

Ezeship Conflict: How Magistrate, Journalists, and Security Forces Survive Attack in Ebonyi

A magistrate and several journalists narrowly escaped death when they were attacked by assailants amid an Ezeship dispute in Nkomoro Community, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Saturday.

According to Saturday Vanguard, the attackers damaged at least 10 vehicles, including those of soldiers, journalists, and the magistrate, using dangerous weapons. Other properties such as motorcycles, tricycles, and houses were also vandalized.

An anonymous eyewitness reported that, “My vehicle was also affected, along with that of a magistrate and Chief Jacob Nwakpa. Vehicles belonging to soldiers and journalists were also destroyed.”

Among those who narrowly escaped harm were Uchenna Inya, the Ebonyi State Correspondent for The Sun Newspaper, as well as several policemen, soldiers, a magistrate attached to the State Judiciary, Amaechi Nwakpa, and other individuals.

Journalists Godwin Oguta and Chinelo Okoro from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) were also attacked with stones and other weapons.

The Nkomoro Community has been embroiled in conflict over the selection of a new traditional ruler. The Sun correspondent was covering the election and coronation of a new traditional ruler when thugs attacked him and damaged his Corolla vehicle as he was returning to Abakaliki. The attackers also targeted policemen, soldiers, a magistrate, and several government officials, including Mrs. Samuel Nweke, the Secretary of Ezza North local government, and Chika Igboke, vandalizing their vehicles.

The thugs were armed with various weapons, including sticks, rods, and stones.

Tensions escalated when some community members objected to a letter from the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, which sanctioned the coronation of Chief Jacob Nwakpa, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Chika Igboke, the coordinator of Imoha Development Centre, read the letter.

A community member presented a court order restraining the election and coronation of the traditional ruler, pleading for the process to be halted. Despite this, Chief Jacob Nwakpa was coronated.

Following the coronation, armed youths blocked the entry and exit points of Okpoku Eze Secondary School, the venue of the ceremony, and began vandalizing vehicles.

FIRST CLASS GISTS reported that youths loyal to Oscar Nwafor retaliated by setting fire to properties within the community after damaging the vehicles. As of the time of this report, there have been no confirmed fatalities.