Aku community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State has accused the neighboring Ikolo community of killing four of its youths who were searching for three others suspected to have been abducted. The community believes the violence is linked to an ongoing land dispute between the two communities.
During a press briefing, the Chairman of Aku General Assembly, Engr. Innocent Okechukwu Diyoke, represented by Boniface Nnabuchi Ugwu, urged the Enugu State government and security agencies to intervene and prevent further violence.
The tragic incident began on August 1, 2024, when three Aku youths—Frank Nnamdi Didigwu, Chibuike Nnadi, and Obiora Dugwu—visited a traditional herbalist in Ikolo for medical assistance. The youths reportedly went missing, and their whereabouts remain unknown. When a search party from Aku was dispatched to find them, four members were allegedly ambushed and killed by armed individuals from Ikolo. Several others sustained injuries.
This conflict is not the first between Aku and Ikolo. In 2016, a similar incident led to arrests and convictions of individuals from Ikolo. The Aku community had previously raised concerns about potential violence in May 2024.
The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that security forces were deployed to restore peace. The President General of Ikolo community, Mr. Jude Odo, has yet to comment on the allegations.
The Aku community is calling for urgent intervention to protect lives, ensure the rescue of the missing youths, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
