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Ebonyi State government on Thursday denied allegations on social media that herdsmen were involved in the killing of a young lady in Onicha local government area of the state.
The Eastern Updates gathered that body of the lady from Amaporo village whose name could not be ascertained was found along a bush path between Agbebor, Isu and Onicha-Igboeze communities on Wednesday.
After the untimely death of the lady, the local kids formed a search party to look for the killers, which has already caused tension in the neighbourhood. They were unsuccessful, though, and the murderers are said to have escaped.
When images of the dead woman appeared on social media with claims that she had been brutally murdered by herders, confusion broke out in the neighbourhood. However, the state government said that there is currently no proof linking the murder to herders and that there are no herdsmen living in the region through the commissioner for information and state orientation, Barr Uchenna Orji.
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He said the victim is believed to have been attacked by criminal elements in the area while she was returning from a neighbouring village.
He said: ‘Our attention has been drawn to a trending social media post over a young girl found dead in a village in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the impressions created over the circumstances of her death.
‘While the state government condemns the ugly incident as unacceptable brutal murder of an innocent citizen by heartless criminals, it is imperative to note that contrary to the claims circulating in social media that Fulani herders were responsible for her gruesome murder, the community has not seen anything linking her death with the Fulani herdsmen, more so there is no herders’ camp in the area.
‘The unfortunate incident is the handiwork of yet to be identified criminals who attacked and killed the deceased on her way, through a track road, back from where she went to process cassava at Agbegbor village in Isu community, Onicha Local Government Area.
‘The community together with the security agencies has declared manhunt on the perpetrators. The State Government sends her condolences to the victim’s family and assures them that government will not leave any stone unturned in unmasking the killers of the young girl,’ he said.
Confirming the killing, the state police public relations officer, PPRO, SP Chris Anyanwu said that the lady’s underwear was missing raising suspicion by the villagers that she was raped before being killed.
