Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday, specifically at about 5.30am, when unidentified gunmen stormed Ezillo community

in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, killing 52 persons and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Also killed in the mayhem, was a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), name withheld, attached to the Ezillo divisional police station.

An eyewitness, Mr Ikechukwu Eze,  told newsmen, who accompanied Governor Martin Elechi  to the community  at Ezillo, that the assassins  besieged the community in six buses early in the morning and   started shooting sporadically at the villagers which left many dead, while a number of houses were also set ablaze.

Victims of the mayhem included children between the ages of 2 and 10 years as well as the aged.

According to him, “We woke up this morning and saw unknown people who stormed our village and started shooting people. There are some people whose  entire households have  been wiped out,” he declared.

Governor Martin Elechi, who visited the community in company of the state Commissioner of Police, Adeniji Adeleke, shed tears at the gory sight, as dead bodies littered the scene of the incident.

The governor urged the villagers to remain calm as government would use every means to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crimes.

Another eyewitness, Mr Jacob Ogodo, told reporters that his entire family had been wiped out, noting that all his credentials were destroyed by the assassins.

Meanwhile, the Ezillo axis of Abakaliki/Enugu expressway has been closed to traffic to forestall motorists and commuters falling victims to the tragedy.

It will be recalled that communal clashes and conflict, had in 2007, erupted between the Ezillo community and their Ezza/Ezillo neighbours resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of property.

The Federal Government  had, at different times, drafted a combined team of mobile policemen and military officers to the community to restore peace and order.

Comments (4)

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Am disturbed !Help God to wake up and help us.
written by Tawawa, January 01, 2012

Am disturbed, Where is the God!
In situations like this and many others I challenge God to live upto expectation. When it happens this way the living faces the trauma which is a slow death thus pointless to say 'thank God, am lucky and alive" . For us still living lets use our wisdom and help ourselves and coexist thus helping the God we have lazily and ignorantly overburdened with overloaded reliance and trust. Look at the global massacre going on, is it not ideal to consider that God is overwhelmed trying to receive and resettle the souls of the departing thousands of brethrens everyday and if we look unto Him to fasten up and intervene on our earthly daily wahalas, it would be too late and the statistical calamity will be skyrocketing? Let's take the law into our hands and use the wisdom the God has given each of us to solve our problems individually and collectively in every home, community, institution and every nation irrespective of our religious and tribal/racial divide. Yes it's new year, let's embrace new me, new you and new us and new planet earth and by this we must have changed gods and strengthened the GOD.....Tawawa's view

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Am disturbed. Help God by helping yourself.
written by Tawawa, January 01, 2012

Am disturbed, Where is the God!
In situations like this and many others I challenge God to live upto expectation. When it happens this way the living faces the trauma which is a slow death thus pointless to say 'thank God, am lucky and alive" . For us still living lets use our wisdom and help ourselves and coexist thus helping the God we have lazily and ignorantly overburdened with overloaded reliance and trust. Look at the global massacre going on, is it not ideal to consider that God is overwhelmed trying to receive and resettle the souls of the departing thousands of brethrens everyday and if we look unto Him to fasten up and intervene on our earthly daily wahalas, it would be too late and the statistical calamity will be skyrocketing? Let's take the law into our hands and use the wisdom the God has given each of us to solve our problems individually and collectively in every home, community, institution and every nation irrespective of our religious and tribal/racial divide. Yes it's new year, let's embrace new me, new you and new us and new planet earth and by this we must have changed gods and strengthened the GOD.....Tawawa's view

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Insecurity in our nation
written by Tarz Ibok, January 01, 2012

My fellow Nigerians,this has gone beyond our imagination. How can a fellow human do this to others & expert calmness or peace in such area. The primary aim of Govt is to protect her citizens against such inhuman display of homicide. Our govt will close eyes and allow the citizens right of existence to be thwarted. If it were you what will you do when you see ur people murdered in cold blood? Brutal killing every day & every where. Then who is the next. Govt shld do something to protect not to look for medicine after death has already occurred. I Have good security strategies that can bring a lasting solution to this country.

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safeguiding the nation
written by Tarz Ibok, January 01, 2012

I still have to help my people for the safety of all. Except someone with my similar idea is in security section or in power this country will continually experience security backwardness.

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