Tension has gripped Ekoli in Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a brutal attack by suspected gunmen believed to be members of a group known as the Catcham Boys. According to eyewitnesses, the group, allegedly aided by some soldiers and police officers, invaded the home of Udu Nnachi Uzor in Ndenworo village and shot him dead in front of his wife, Onyinye. She recounted how the assailants stormed their home around midday, asked for her husband, and executed him in cold blood before fleeing. His body was later taken to the morgue.
A community leader, Chief Etta Egor, condemned the actions of the Catcham vigilante group, blaming them for escalating insecurity in the area. He expressed dismay over their open movement with firearms alongside security personnel, describing the continued attacks as senseless violence against innocent residents. The disappearance of a MAC truck belonging to a former council chairman further deepened suspicions about the motives behind the attack, with many residents questioning the state government’s silence over the recurring violence in Ekoli-Edda.
The situation has further deteriorated following a recent wave of political violence that left one person dead and properties destroyed. The latest killing worsened community tensions, especially after a former council chairman, Dr. Eni Chima, and his brother narrowly escaped death in a previous attack, with their SUV riddled with bullets. Their subsequent seven-year banishment from the community on allegations of inciting conflict has only added to the unease, with locals fearing further reprisals and instability in the once peaceful area.
