Four Killed, Including Two Children, in Gunmen Attack on Ebonyi Community

Gunmen attacked the Ikembe Ezza Community in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Tuesday, killing four people, including two children, and setting several houses ablaze. The victims were identified as Ms. Nwankwo Elum, Ikechukwu Basil, Nwali Bridget, and Ebenezer Nweke John. Eyewitnesses alleged the assailants came from Ishiagu, though this claim has not been confirmed. A middle-aged woman and a young girl were among those killed, while two children were burnt alive in their homes. The attack comes just two weeks after a similar assault in Egumkpuma Ezza Community, also in Ivo LGA, where homes were torched and gunshots reported. Last week, a couple was abducted in the same area, incidents police have linked to long-standing communal tensions.

Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, CP Adaku Anthonia Uche-Anya, who recently visited affected communities, has deployed additional officers to restore calm. Peace advocate Dr. Sampson Oko Nweke, Chairman of the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE) in the state, urged Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, the Ivo Local Government Chairman, and community leaders to act swiftly to prevent further bloodshed, stressing that those behind the violence must be brought to justice.

Ivo LGA Chairman, Emmanuel Ajah, confirmed receiving reports of the incident while away on official duties. Meanwhile, Eze Gabriel Uzoma Okoro, the traditional ruler of Ihie Autonomous Community, cautioned against spreading false information that could inflame tensions. He said normalcy had returned after a meeting with state police leadership and commended the Commissioner of Police for her commitment to lasting peace in the area.