The Ebonyi State Police Command's Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the occurrence and said that it was the result of a power struggle between Hon. Eni Uduma Chima, the former chairman of the Afikpo South Council area, and Stanley Okoro, the state's APC chairman.
Anyanwu said: “At about 1630hrs of 26/12/2022, a day popularly known as “Boxing Day”, a distress call was received that sporadic shootings and killings were going on at Ekoli-Edda between Ebubeagu operatives who accompanied their boss, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, the State’s APC Chairman, and another group of men purported to be loyalists to the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon Dr. Chima Eni, who is also the APC flag bearer for national House of Representative in the area.”
“It was further gathered that the open shootout was not far-fetched from previous grudges existing between the two factions. In the process, a youth leader identified as Eseni Kalu Egwu was fatally wounded, later rushed to a neighbouring hospital at Ohafia, Abia State where he was confirmed dead.”
“Angered by his death, the youth of the area mobilised and went on a rampage, killing Eme Orji, a younger brother of the State APC Chairman and an Inspector of Police attached to SPU. The irate youth equally set ablaze the village house of Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, his Toyota Hilux van and a Toyota Sienna space bus belonging to the Police Command’s Tactical Teams”.
“When the Tactical Teams were dispatched to Ekoli-Edda to take control of the situation, they were ambushed by the youth of the area at the village entrance. However, the operatives manoeuvred unhurt.”
“The bodies of the three deceased persons have been evacuated and deposited at different morgues. Two suspects were arrested among the irate youth while others are still at large.”
“Also, the two political gladiators in the middle of the whole imbroglio have been placed in protective custody to douse the tension in the area, while a scrupulous investigation has been activated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCIID here in Ebonyi State”.
The police spokesman said that the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State Police Command, CP Aliyu Garba has visited the scene and advised that everyone affected in one way or the other in the ugly development should keep calm.