Four feared dead, property destroyed in communal clashes in Cross River, Ebonyi

Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade

Four persons were yesterday feared dead and over 100 buildings destroyed in a communal clash between two communities in Cross River and Ebonyi states.The perennial clash between the people of Ofunakpa Inyimagu in Ebonyi and their neighbours in Nsobo area of Cross River State was said to have started in 1984.
Only a few people were seen in the deserted community when The Guardian visited the place yesterday, while policemen had taken over the area.It was leant that over 500 residents had also fled the communities to safer locations
Most of the destroyed property around the boundary between the two communities included cars, motorcycles and food crops.Some of the residents, including women, children and youths have taken refuge at a camp in Ofunakpa Community Secondary School.

Speaking to journalists, the village head of Ofunakpa community, Mr. Nwofurakpa Emmanuel explained that the crisis started in April 2017, when the Nsobo people attacked them with some dangerous weapons, killing one person.
He added that when they enquired into the cause of their invasion, many gunmen from Nsobo further attacked them and sacked them from their houses.“While the unwarranted attack lasted, four people from our community were killed and their corpses taken away by the
attackers,’’ he said.
He lamented that the people had been unable to go to their farms for fear of further attacks.The village head urged the state and federal authorities to investigate the issue and come to the rescue of the displaced persons.
But when a community leader from Nsobo was contacted to state their side of the story, he declined to comment and urged the security agents to do their investigation.