Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara
Suspected warlords at the weekend killed a truck driver on the Ishiagu/Okigwe expressway in Ebonyi State.
The truck driver from Imo State was killed on the Ayaragu axis of the expressway.
The driver was shot as a result of the intractable war between the people of Umuobor, Akaeze, and their neighbours, Ogwor and Ishiagu, both in the Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State.
The two communities are at war over a fertile land in the area with lives lost and properties destroyed.
About six persons were killed by suspected warlords around June, and the suspects
have continued to block the Ishiagu/Okigwe expressway, attacking and maiming motorists and other road users.
Social media users took their their page to alert the public about the development,
The Facebook message read, “There is an inter-communal war between Akeze and Ayaragu for land dispute.
“A truck driver from Imo state was killed along that road today. Truck drivers from Imo state are threatening to block Okigwe roads against vehicles coming in and going out of Ebonyi Stat.
“Please spread this message to people and different platforms to the people of Ebonyi to avoid a story that touches the heart. It’s a security challenge. So be aware in case u are following that side. “
Joshua Ukandu Police Public Relations Officer Ebonyi State command, contacted, said his office was not aware of the incident.
He said he would contact the Ivo police division on it and promised to get back to our correspondent. A promise he is yet to fulfil at the time of filling this report.
Ebonyi state government, however, has called on the warring communities to ceasefire and embrace peace.
The Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution in the state, Donatus Ilang, made this call during a fact-finding trip to the disputed zone to authenticate the submissions made to the Ministry by both parties on the land.
He frowned at the absence of the Umobor stakeholders, who claimed that they were not informed about the fact-finding mission despite the invitation allegedly passed to them through the Committee set up by the two communities to ensure that lasting peace returned to the communities.
He condemned the destruction of lives and properties in the protected war, accusing the communities of taking laws into their own hands, which he said attracted capital punishment upon any culprits found wanting.