Amegu Nkalagha community, in Ishielu local government Area of Ebonyi State came under heavy attack on Sunday morning, leading to the killing of several residents.
Salient Times learnt that during the attack, many buildings were burnt to ashes.
The incident is believed to be a reprisal following the reported killing of cattle belonging to herdsmen in the area.
Professor Ndubuisi Idenyi, a community member while confirming the attack to Salient Times, stated that the assailants stormed the village in the early hours of Sunday, unleashing violence that left many dead and properties destroyed.
“I don’t have the number of casualties right now.
“We are still tracking and bringing out the dead bodies, especially those killed in the farms,” he said.
Another source said a Pastor of a Pentecostal Church in the area was among those killed in the attack.
The source who pleaded anonymity said the community members were not responsible for the killing of the cattle.
“We did not kill their cows. The cows were killed by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the forest”, the source who pleaded anonymity said.
Chairperson of Isheilu Local government Area, Ifeoma Peace Agwu confirmed the incident.
She said: “We are taking the victims’ bodies to the mortuary right now.
“I cannot talk much on it now. We will give more details later”, she said.
When contacted, Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed that 10 people were killed in an attack on Amegu Nkalaha Community in Ishielu Local Government Area by unidentified gunmen.
Police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu told Salient Times that security operatives recovered 10 bodies after the attack, adding that the assailants also burned houses selectively in the community.
“Several houses were also burnt selectively in the area, and other properties destroyed. Upon receipt of the information, we drafted police operatives to the area.
“We are currently investigating the incident while normalcy has returned to the area,” the PPRO stated.
“We also recovered 10 corpses from the area. At the moment, our personnel are there, and normalcy is returning to the area.” Ukandu added.
