…Seeks Urgent Govt Intervention
Date: 21 June, 2026
By Abraham Ovuoba
Tension is mounting along the Ebonyi-Enugu boundary following renewed allegations of attacks linked to a protracted land dispute between Ngwogwo Community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and Mpu Community in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The development has prompted the Ngwogwo Community Development Union to petition Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, seeking urgent government intervention to prevent the dispute from escalating into a wider inter-state conflict.
In a seven-page petition dated June 17, 2026 and signed by Roy O.U. Nwaeze, SAN, the community alleged that women from Ngwogwo were attacked while working on their farms located within the disputed area on June 12, 2026.
“According to our Clients, six women were physically assaulted during the attack. Two of the victims sustained serious degrees of bodily injuries requiring hospitalisation while the remaining victims suffered varying injuries,” the petition stated.
The petition further alleged that food items, farming implements and other personal belongings belonging to the victims were taken away during the incident.
Describing the attack as “entirely unprovoked,” the community alleged that the incident formed part of a “recurring pattern of intimidation, harassment, and interference” with its occupation of the disputed land.
Ngwogwo maintained that despite the recurring tensions, it has continued to restrain its members from taking the law into their own hands, choosing instead to “place their confidence in the Government of Ebonyi State and other constituted authorities.”
The community warned that the matter has “assumed serious security, public order, and inter-state dimensions” with the potential to threaten peaceful relations between Ebonyi and Enugu States if urgent measures are not taken.
According to the petition, the dispute has historical roots stretching back several generations. Ngwogwo elders claimed that the ancestors of present-day Mpu were settled on land granted by Ngwogwo forefathers “pursuant to a peace arrangement and covenant of brotherhood symbolised by the historic Ogbu Tree.”
The petition noted that the Ogbu Tree remains a recognised landmark to both communities, while the traditional boundary was marked by the Otimkpu Stream in Amachara Hamlet and the Okpara River in Amaedim Hamlet.
“Following the creation of States and Local Government Areas, the elders and stakeholders of Ngwogwo Community continued to recognise and maintain the said natural features as the practical and recognised boundary,” the petition stated.
Ngwogwo further claimed to be the custodian of traditional rites and oath-taking ceremonies connected to the historic covenant between the two communities.
To support its claim, the community cited the over 50-year occupation of part of the disputed land by Mr. Ude, popularly known as “Ude Nwa Oduma,” who it said paid customary ground rents to the Chukwu Chi Ukpai Nnechi family of Amachara. It added that documentary evidence exists, including receipts and land transaction records.
As part of its requests, the community urged Governor Nwifuru to direct the Ebonyi State Boundary Committee to investigate the dispute and liaise with Enugu State authorities to establish a Joint Inter-State Boundary Verification and Fact-Finding Committee.
It also called for security agencies to investigate the June 12 incident, provide protection for farmers operating in the area, convene a stakeholders’ meeting and ensure a permanent and legally recognised boundary demarcation.
“We remain firmly committed to peace, lawful dispute resolution, and harmonious coexistence,” the letter said.
The community recalled that a similar petition was submitted to the Office of the Deputy Governor on June 15, 2025, but lamented that the matter remains unresolved.
It warned that failure to urgently address the dispute “may degenerate into a wider communal conflict capable of threatening peace, security, economic activities, and inter-state relations.”
