*7 critically injured
From Zara Nwachinaemere, Abakaliki
Armed herdsmen late Monday evening, allegedly invaded Egedege, Obegu and Amazu communities, in Ishielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, killing a Methodist Church Priest and five others whose names could not be ascertained at the time of fielding this report.
Seven more persons as gathered from a source close to the communities, were critical injured and rushed to the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, for treatment, while many vehicles and motorcycles were burnt.
Police spokesperson, Ebonyi State Command, DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the report.
She said a detachment of Police officers have been sent to the area led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
She called for calm, stating that the CP, Garba Aliyu, has ordered for full-scale investigation into the issue to identify and bring the perpetrators of such heinous crime to justice.
Chairman of the local government, Hon. Sunday Eze confirmed the incident.
The Chairman and the Commissioner for Business Development, Hon. Stephen Odo, also from one of the communities, led a team of security operatives to the scene of the incident.
Investigations have however revealed that the communities had allegedly killed about 13 cows belonging to the herders as the cows were allegedly seen destroying their crops.
They allegedly chased the herders out their communities to Enugu State where they resettled. Yesterday’s attack as learnt, was a reprisal, which led to the killing of even innocent visitors and passersby.
