A band of armed men on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 swooped on the Second Ndigbo Amaba Ugwueke Community in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State and abducted four young men.
The abducted youths are Samuel Orji, Ifeanyi John, Anarochi Agwu Okereke and Ogwo Okoroafor (aka Nwantananya).
The armed men who reportedly were adorned in military fatigue invaded the Ugwueke Community from the neighbouring Akaeze Community in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to the Chairman, Second Ndigbo Development Union, Agbai Edmund Okorie, the armed men had told some of the villagers they met on the way to go about their farming and other businesses without fear of molestation.
Agbai said the villagers were not sure the invaders were soldiers in spite of wearing military camouflage during the operation.
National Newsbreak learnt that efforts are on to establish the real identity of the invaders and to get the four abducted youths off their hook.
Ugwueke and Akaeze have been locked in a lingering border dispute which successive administrations in Abia State failed to resolve.
There is hardly any year there will not be skirmishes between the two communities. This year was no exception.
In January this year, some hoodlums from Akaeze Community invaded the Ugwueke Community and took 10 youths hostage.
They also carted away harvested yam tubers, rice and palm fruits from indigenes of the Ugwueke Community.
The hostages had since been released following intervention by the Abia State Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu and member representing Bende North Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly.
