Panic and pandemonium are said to have enveloped the entire community of Umuanum Ohekelem in Ngor Okpala LGA and Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise LGA Imo State as the two neighboring communities engage in a gun battle over boundary dispute.
According to report, problem started when youths of Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise allegedly invaded Umuanum Ohekelem Community on Monday destroying houses and property of residents of the community. This led to a crossfire battle between the two neighboring communities leading to staccato and rain of gunshots.
According to one of the residents of the area who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity
“On the early hours of Monday, 20th June 2022, armed young men from Ogbor Uvuru Aboh Mbaise, came in their numbers, well armed, invaded a village in our community, Umuanum. They attacked our people with dangerous weapons, destroying many houses, property and forcefully harvested cassava in our farms and carted away with them.
We made an official complaint to the Area Command at Uvuru Mbaise. It was later that we realized that the invasion and attack was as a result of the boundary dispute between Umuanum Ohekelem and Ogbor Uvuru”.
“To our greatest dismay, seven days later, precisely on 27th June 2022, they came again with full force destroying more houses, shooting indiscriminately where many people sustained heavy injuries. It was at that point we contacted the Area Commander who came to the scene of the incident. Right in his presence, the people were still destroying more properties and shooting sporadically. The Area Commander couldn’t do anything. Then people started scampering for safety while many of our youths were shot. They are lying critically in hospitals as a result of the gunshots. The Community has been deserted. It was at that point we suspected a fowl play.
However, it took the combined efforts of the Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State on Security Matters and the officers of the Nigerian Naval Base Owerrinta to calm the situation. Residents of the two communities are appealing to the government to intervene in the situation by ensuring that a proper demarcation and delineation of the disputed boundary of the two neighboring communities is effected to avoid further shed of blood.
When contacted, the police public relations officer in the State confirmed the incident and said that the Area Commander and DPO Umuneke are working assiduously to ensure that peace is restored in the area.
Also, when contacted, the Traditional Ruler of the Ohekelem Community, Eze Emmanuel Okere confirmed the incident and called on the State Government to immediately come for the demarcation and delineation of the disputed boundary of the two communities, while effort made to reach the Traditional Ruler of Ogbor Uvuru Community, Eze Adiukuru proved abortive as he was unable to pick all the several calls that were put across to him as at the time of filing this report.
However, there is fear that Ogbor people may launch further attack on Umuanum Town any moment even as the community is said to have prepared to repel any further attack on their people.
It was gathered that the boundary dispute between the two neighboring communities has lingered for a very long period of time leading to continued loss of lives and property.
