Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Senate Deputy Majority Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has been accused of complicity in a recent crisis in Ugboenyim, a border town between Benue and Ebonyi State.
This is as many people were injured in a recent clash between two factions in the community over leadership control of the town.
Ugboenyim, an Izzi speaking community, is anthropologically Ebonyi State and geographically Benue State.
The people are however under Ado Local Government Area, Benue State, and southern senatorial zone of the state.
The two factions have been in power tussle since 2006 over the control of the community, which has claimed lives with properties worth millions destroyed.
Despite previous efforts made to resolve the crisis in the recent past, the people returned to the trenches at the weekend with many sustaining canes, machetes and gunshots injuries when the two warring factions clashed.
Domestic animals including goats, native cows and dogs have been looted in the melee.
Some of those injured include: Chukwuma Iboko, Bernard Ukpa and Nwofor Chukwuemeka.
They alleged that they were attacked by those who call themselves Plan B club in the community and accused one Romanus Ishiali said to be their leader of being behind the attack.
They explained that they were tied up like common criminals and flogged with canes and matchetes on the grounds that they didn’t participate in communal work in the community when according to them, there was no such work in the area.
Mrs. Obaleze Eto, one of those whose goats were looted in the crisis, said her own goat which she was preparing to use and perform burial rites of his late child, was forcefully collected from her by the group.
“Romanus came and collected a goat I wanted to use for the burial of my child and left without telling me my offence.
“I waited for him to bring it back to me but he refused. I bought another goat for the burial rites. Up till now, that goat has not been returned to me,” she said.
Omogo Ijere, village head of the community, alleged that members of the Plan B club in the area have been terrorising the people, attacking, maiming them and looting their properties which forced him to report their actions to the police in Igumali, Benue State.
“When I was coming back after reporting the matter, I was called by one of my children and warned not to return to our place, that this Plan B club people have blocked our community and are very armed,” he stated.
But Romanus Ishiali denied all the allegations against him.
He alleged that it was rather the Omogo Ijere faction that were looting domestic animals and properties and forcefully harvesting yams and other people’s crops in the community.
He accused Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi of sponsoring the faction and alleged that he and some members of the community have been sacked from the community.
“Our lives are under threat, we have been marked for elimination. They have been looking for me to kill me.
“Senator Nwebonyi has been arresting our people and imprisoning them in Benue State just because we refused to follow him. He gave me monetary offers and motorcycle and I rejected it because I don’t want those things and that is the cause of ordering my removal as the youth leader of our community.
“Some of us can’t enter our village again and that is why you are seeing us here in Abakaliki because they said that they will kill us if we enter the village. We want the governors of Ebonyi and Benue State to come to our aid before this thing causes inter-state war.
Nwebonyi, in his reaction, said Romanus Ishiali and members of his plan B group, committed a lot of crime in the community and that police is after them.
“They committed a lot of crimes; maiming some members of the community and stealing their properties and police is after them.
“They begged me to supress the matter but I told them that what they did is evil, that even my cousin brother who is said to be among them should be charged to court.
“So, they went and started media war which I know is being sponsored by some of my political friends.
“So, they are trying to divert attention here while police is looking for them there. That place is Ado Local Government Area, Benue State. The Chairman is looking for them and that’s why they are running helter skelter,” he said.
