By Our Reporter
The Ebonyi government says Fulani herdsmen are not responsible for the Monday morning attack on the people of Umuogudu Akpu-Ngbo Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Monday Uzor disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abakaliki.
According to the statement , the attack is linked to the age-long crisis between the community and their Agila neighbours of Benue State.
Recall that the community came under serious attack with sporadic gunshots in the early hours of Monday and the incident was blamed on Fulani herdsmen.
However, the statement noted that preliminary investigation had absolved the Fulani herdsmen of blame.
The statement read in part: “Ebonyi State Government has received with dismay violent attack on the people of Umuogudu Akpu-Ngbo Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State in the early hours of Monday.
“The general public is hereby informed that preliminary investigations have indicated as follows:
“One, that the attack was not carried out by Fulani herdsmen as being speculated in different quarters,” it stated.
The statement also noted that the state government was in touch with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association on Nigeria (MACBAN) who denied involvement in the attack.
It stated that the leadership of MACBAN assured the state government that they would not on any account perpetrate attack on any part of the state.
The statement noted that the state government had directed the Military and the Police to move into the community to repel any further attacks and restore peace.
It requested the people of the area and the general public to remain law abiding and avoid reprisals as government wasworking hard to restore normalcy in the affected community.
