- A farmer, Godwin Odah, was brutally murdered in Ebonyi State while harvesting fruits, with his body mutilated by attackers amid ongoing community conflict
- The President General of Effium Town Union condemned the killing, urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and maintain peace efforts
- Despite government interventions, the violence between the Ezza and Effium ethnic groups continues, leaving residents fearful and demanding better security
A farmer, Godwin Odah, from Akparata village in the Effium autonomous community of Ebonyi State, was gruesomely killed on Monday while harvesting fruits behind his residence.
Odah’s life was cut short in a violent attack as gunmen ambushed him, shot him while he was atop a tree, and then proceeded to behead him.
Farmer brutally murdered by assailants
Reports indicate that the assailants also severed parts of his body before fleeing the scene.
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The tragic incident comes just a week after Governor Francis Nwifuru granted amnesty to 159 detainees who had been arrested in connection with the protracted intra-communal crisis that erupted in Effium in January 2021.
Reacting to the murder, the President General of Effium Town Union, James Agena, condemned the act as barbaric and inhumane.
He lamented that such a heinous crime was perpetrated at a time when concerted efforts were being made to restore peace in the troubled community.
“We are devastated by the gruesome murder of a hardworking farmer who was merely tending to his livelihood. He was shot from the tree, and the assailants—suspected to be from the rival faction within the Effium crisis—went further to sever his head, hand, and leg, taking them away and leaving his mutilated remains behind,” Agena stated.
Agena called on security agencies to take immediate action and ensure that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice, stressing that such acts of violence threaten the fragile peace initiatives in the region.
Community been experiencing unrest for years
The Effium community has been plagued by violent clashes between the Ezza and Effium ethnic groups since early 2021, resulting in numerous deaths, displacement of residents, and destruction of homes, farms, and other properties.
Despite various government interventions and ongoing peace negotiations, sporadic attacks continue to undermine stability in the area.
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When contacted, Ebonyi State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, stated that law enforcement authorities had not yet received an official report on the killing.
“We are not aware of any such incident in Effium. No formal report has been made to the police regarding this matter,” Ukandu said.
Teenage boy shot dead while fighting off kidnappers
Earlier, Legit.ng had reported that a brutal attack by armed bandits had left a family in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, devastated after the killing of their only son and the abduction of the wife of a minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of last Monday at the residence of Pastor Austin Ifeji, situated in Gwagwalada, a community neighboring Abuja.
