Gunmen have struck again in the war-ravaged Effium community of Ebonyi State, brutally killing a local farmer, Godwin Odah, in a gruesome attack that has sent shockwaves across the region.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Odah, a resident of Akparata village in Effium autonomous community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, was reportedly shot and beheaded while plucking fruits behind his compound on Monday. The assailants also severed parts of his body before fleeing the scene.
His killing comes just a week after Governor Francis Nwifuru granted amnesty to 159 detainees arrested in connection with the prolonged intra-communal war that erupted in Effium in January 2021. The violent conflict between the Ezza and Effium communities has claimed numerous lives and displaced many residents over the years.
Confirming the incident, President General of Effium Town Union, James Agena, described the attack as “callous, brutal, and inhuman,” lamenting that such an atrocity was committed despite ongoing government efforts to restore peace.
“We are pained and devastated over the murder of a poor farmer who was gruesomely killed in his backyard while plucking fruits. He was shot from the tree before suspected warriors from the other extraction of Effium severed his head, hand, and leg, taking them away and leaving the rest of the body behind,” Agena said.
The community leader called for swift action, urging security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators to prevent further bloodshed.
Despite the rising tensions, the Ebonyi State Police Command has denied knowledge of the incident. Spokesperson SP Joshua Ukandu stated, “We are not aware of the killing in Effium community. Nobody has officially reported it to the police.”
The latest attack further underscores the fragile security situation in Effium, where the lingering conflict continues to fuel violence, displacements, and destruction of lives and properties.
