The Ebonyi Police Command has warned the public to be wary of pictures and other visuals on the social media that herdsmen attacked some parts of the state.
DSP Loveth Odah, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) gave the warning in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.
Odah stated that the pictures were released as being connected with the renewed communal clashes between two communities in Ebonyi and Benue.
Odah in the statement said that the clash was between the Agila community of Ado Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State and the Umuogudu-Akpu Ngbo community of Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi.
“The situation is most regrettable.
“The command states categorically that the crisis is a re-enactment of the age-long border crisis between both communities which has led to the loss of several lives and destruction of property,” the statement read.
The PPRO in the statement said that the command authoritatively confirmed the death of nine persons as against the number of casualties being peddled on the social media.
“The state Commissioner of Police (CP), Awosola Awosika, undertook a tour of the affected areas and admonished the people to remain calm.
“He advised them not to engage in acts that will jeopardise the peace process already initiated by both the state and Federal Governments, especially the anticipated arrival of the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to Makurdi on March 26, for demarcation.
“Members of the public should not allow themselves to be manipulated and misled by agents of darkness using the social media,” the statement read.
Odah in the statement said that the entire area had been fortified with police mobile personnel to avert further breakdown of law and order.
Chief Clement Odah, Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, in an interview with NAN, regretted the alleged invasion by the Benue community in spite of the Ebonyi Government’s efforts to bring lasting peace in the area.
“The incident remains a huge shock to all of us due to the elaborate security mechanisms put in place by the state government in the area and the entire state.
“We have convened a stakeholders’ meeting to get direct briefings from the affected communities, re-assure them and remove elements of panic.
“We have also deliberated on the way forward to entrench lasting peace and ensure that the incident does not re-occur,” he said.
Odah said that in spite of the numerous accounts given on the incident findings from the council revealed that it was invaders from neigbouring community that carried out the attack. (NAN)
