A minute silence was observed by the Senate in honour of the victims of the numerous  attacks in various communities in Ebonyi State.

Also, The Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies were directed to probe the atrocious attacks.

The Senate asked the security chiefs to ensure the prompt arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

The security chiefs were also directed to rescue the kidnapped victims still held captive.

It urged the Federal and Ebonyi Government to put appropriate measures in place to avert further attacks.

The Senate further requested the National Emergency Management Agency to immediately intervene by sending relief materials to the families of the victims and displaced persons in the affected communities.

The resolutions of the Senate followed the consideration of a motion on the recent killings

in the state, sponsored by Senator Sam Egwu, representing Ebonyi North.

In Egwu’s words, “The Senate express concern that the killings, maiming, kidnapping and wanton destruction of lives and property have now become the daily experience of innocent and peaceful people of Ebonyi State who are murdered in their numbers almost on a daily basis.

“The Senate is aware that on the 20th of March, 2021, over 18 indigenes of Egedege, Obegu and Amuzu communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, including a priest were gruesomely murdered in cold blood by rampaging herdsmen.

“It is alarming that on Monday; just two days ago, 12th of April 2021, herdsmen killed over 12 innocent indigenes, burnt and destroyed over 26 houses and kidnapped five people in Ebonyi State.”

Senators Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North), and Micheal Nnachi (Ebonyi South), supported the motion.

Lawmakers approved the prayers of the motion when they were put to voice vote by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

In a related development, the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, on Wednesday, disagreed over Monday attacks on Otuebu and Obodo Ocha villages, Umuogodo-Akpu Ngbo community, in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.

At about 4.30 am on Monday, suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the two villages, killing natives, animals and burning over 70 houses.

It was reported that 14 hours after the incident, the Ebonyi State Government, led by the ruling APC said the attacks were carried out by the Agila people of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, and not the Fulani herdsmen, as alleged by the victims.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Kelechi Igwe, said this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Monday Uzor.

The Agila people and the people of Umuogodo-Akpu Ngbo community had been entangled in a protracted inter-communal land dispute, which hitherto led to the loss of many lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira.

However, the PDP in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Silas Onu, said the state government erred by jumping into a hasty conclusion to say the Agila people were involved in the attacks, without a proper investigation.

The statement read in part, “While we condemn this brazen act of criminality perpetrated against our people, we are concerned that the Ebonyi State Government has jumped into a hasty conclusion by completely exonerating Fulani herdsmen and directly accusing the people of Agila in Benue State, known to have had a long boundary dispute with the affected community.”

Reacting, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in the state, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, said the opposition was being wicked and misleading unsuspecting members of the public with fake information.

Okoro-Emegha, who doubles as the Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, said, “The PDP in Ebonyi is composed of people who are wicked and mischievous; they are misleading the people with fake information.

“The government of Governor Dave Umahi has not rested on his laurels in his bid to address these challenges. When the government said it knew who the attackers were and where they came from, it didn’t make a mistake.

“The government has been involved in handling the matter between the Agila people and the Ngbo community. We know how the Agila people attack. Let us wait, watch and see, because very soon, the truth will come out.”