₦airaland Forum

The people of Ezza in Benue State have decried incessant attacks and killings by suspected warlords in Ado Local Government Area of the state.

The people said they have lost over 400 people in the vicious attacks and killings.

This was contained in a statement signed by some of their leaders, including Mrs. Perpetual Okafor, the President General, Ezza-Ezekuna Benue, Linus Nweke, Board of Trustees Chairman, John Izekwe, Chibueze Ngbabu, Publicity Secretary and other leaders. They accused Uffiom warlords in the Ado local government, Benue State, of being behind the killings.

“It has become imperative to write this, in order to put the records straight for the general public to know about the undeserved atrocious activities by the Uffiom people against the Ezza people and the unjustifiable double-dealings of some Ado stakeholders aimed collectively to worsen the already exacerbated aftermaths of the crisis.

“Going down memory lane, on January 22, 2021, the ill-fated crisis broke out into a full blown war between Uffiom and Ezza tribes in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. On the same day too, the Uffiom people resumed coordinated attacks on Ezza Benue people, ranging from abductions and killings of Ezza people in Ulayi, Odum and further extended the heinous, outrageous and heartless massacre to other Ezza communities under Ado local government jurisdiction.

“Exploring some instrumentalities of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the then Chairman, Ado local government area, James Ogaba Oche, on February 11, 2021, initiated a peace deal by inviting stakeholders and custodians of both Ezza and Uffiom to Ado for “covenant and oath-taking.” To make the “covenant and oath-taking more comprehensive and all-inclusive, the invitation was extended to our Izzi brothers and all the district heads in Ado to stand as witnesses.

“The major terms and conditions of that covenant, among others, were that: neither Ezza nor Uffiom people must harm or kill one another in Benue State; that both parties – Ezza and Uffium – should never, again, destroy properties belonging to each other for any reasons, whatsoever.

“That, whosoever, contravenes the restrictions of the covenant between the two tribes – Ezza and Uffiom – then, the other tribes in Ado, will collectively join forces with those whose person(s) is harmed or killed to fight the defaulters. To our greatest chagrin, however, it would surprise you to know that, since after the Peace Pact mediated by then chairman, Ado local government area, there has never been a month or even less than that, that passes without a calculated maiming, slaughtering and butchering of countless numbers of Ezza people in Ado district by the blood-thirsty Uffiom people.

“Yet, Ezza people, being peacemakers and strictest keepers of covenants and oath-takings (entered and agreed upon in good faith) in the history of mankind, have neither contemplated to hurt nor to kill any Uffiom person here in Benue. One faithful day in Ogebe, Apa Ward, more than 160 Ezza people were killed in their cold blood. Again, another day at Okpobula, also in Apa Ward, over 40 Ezza people, most of whom were innocent children, helpless women and aged men, were killed by the rapaciously indiscriminate Uffium warriors.

“Besides, at Nwokwo Odoke, Ulayi Ward, over 20 innocent and defenceless people were killed; at Odum in Ulayi, five chiefs were abducted in one day, one killed and thrown inside well, while many more were killed on sight; the same applied at Ichari, where one chief was abducted and many killed.

“Also, at Otsukputu, more than 30 people were killed; at Inikiri, over 40 people were attacked and eventually killed; at Ojiegbe, more than 30 people were killed; at Anmeka, over 50 people were killed, and lately, Uje has also faced a series of unmitigated attacks, where aged men, women and children were shot and slaughtered by the said Uffiom warriors unchallenged.

“In summary, over 400 Ezza people in Ado have been killed by the Uffiom people and her calamitous agents whereas Ezza people of Benue have neither injured, not to talk of killing any Uffiom person, in Ado, Benue State nor destroyed their properties because we, the Ezza indigenous people of Benue State, remain law-abiding and are propagators of a harmonious peaceful coexistence between Uffiom people in particular, and among other tribes in general.

“Those Uffiom people living together with our people in Odumoke Ijigbam, here in Ado Local Government Area will attest (if they want to be sincere to themselves) to this because we are still cohabiting peacefully without any rancour or qualms,” the people stated.

Esama:
Must you settle down for people land forever? If those community say they don't want you in their land leave there and go back to your region instead of getting killing every day. Igbo people self.

Esama:
Must you settle down for people land forever? If those community say they don't want you in their land leave there and go back to your region instead of getting killing every day. Igbo people self.

100millionGoal:
Where do you want them to run to?
Before creation of that state that has always been their land.

Only cowards run my brother!
Better to die to defend your land than run... Get that to your head

EmeeNaka:
You're supporting killing because Igbo was mentioned as the victim. Every Nigerian has the right to live and thrive in any part of Nigeria.
Meanwhile the places mentioned in this news are Igboland. Go back and read

Jamestown123:
You are ment. Benue can never be their land. Are you normal so? Besides, Benue are peace loving people. If you comprehended what was written there, you will understand that the attack was not from their host, but from Uffiom, their fellow Ebonyi people.

Esama:
Must you settle down for people land forever? If those community say they don't want you in their land leave there and go back to your region instead of getting killing every day. Igbo people self.

Esama:
Must you settle down for people land forever? If those community say they don't want you in their land leave there and go back to your region instead of getting killing every day. Igbo people self.

Esama:
Must you settle down for people land forever? If those community say they don't want you in their land leave there and go back to your region instead of getting killing every day. Igbo people self.

100millionGoal:
Lol.
Read before u start to rant.

They said Ezza people of Benue.
Ezza is in Benue and have always been there... I no tell anybody to collect Benue from you... I only said Ezza people should defend where they have always been and where they call their ancestral land.


You have too much Fulani herdsmen to worry about before giving yourselfs another headache

Jamestown123:
Lol, I'm not giving myself headache over any Ezza people. Ezza were just settlers, who ran to Benue state then because of all these wars. The people of ezza were giving shelter and lands to farm and make a living by the people of Ado. It's now very shameful and hurtful to see them claiming the lands. It's going to make other villages be wary of them, and not decide to accommodate them. Because as it seems, the war between Uffiom and ezza is not ending soon. Nobody prays for war, but uffioms seems to be looking for trouble always and not backing down.

100millionGoal:
Well. Settle your problems in Benue soonest.

You guys seem to be accumulating them every 3 months

Jamestown123:
How do you expect peace when people like this exist. People who can't co-exist peacefully with their host. Is that not what Fulani headsmen are doing? Or you think Benue is the only placed being attacked?

100millionGoal:
Benue is not the only place being attacked.
My dad was a victim of Fulani people last year actually so I totally understand.

Jamestown123:
How and when did Ado LG became an Igbo land?

Jamestown123:
Lol, I'm not giving myself headache over any Ezza people. Ezza were just settlers, who ran to Benue state then because of all these wars. The people of ezza were giving shelter and lands to farm and make a living by the people of Ado. It's now very shameful and hurtful to see them claiming the lands. It's going to make other villages be wary of them, and not decide to accommodate them. Because as it seems, the war between Uffiom and ezza is not ending soon. Nobody prays for war, but uffioms seems to be looking for trouble always and not backing down.

Zulu11zulu:
I use this opportunity to call Simon Ekpa to extend BRA to Benue State to arm our brothers and sisters to defend thire self because the government of Nigeria and Benue State will like to wipe them our of their land .
The idiot warlords is a coward when Fulani slaughtered them but want to Vange thire anger on innocent igbo people.

Ohanaze and igbo politicians should do what it take to bring them back to south east or the enemy will wipe them out.

Jamestown123:
You are ment. Benue can never be their land. Are you normal so? Besides, Benue are peace loving people. If you comprehended what was written there, you will understand that the attack was not from their host, but from Uffiom, their fellow Ebonyi people.

Jamestown123:
You are ment. Benue can never be their land. Are you normal so? Besides, Benue are peace loving people. If you comprehended what was written there, you will understand that the attack was not from their host, but from Uffiom, their fellow Ebonyi people.

Dafresh:
The thing is that Ezzas in Ezza North and Ezza South, Enugu Nkalegu, etc don't want to involve on that war otherwise Effiom people would've been leveled