Tragedy averted in Abagana Ede-Aro festival as soldiers clash with masquerades

www.odogwublog.com reports that tragedy was averted yesterday in Abagana, Njikoka local government area when soldiers clashed with masquerades during week long Ede-Aro festival allegedly injuring many, but nobody was dead as allegedly reported by villagers.

Trouble started when a team of soldiers were passing through Abagana from Ukpo a neighbouring community to only God knows where but there were so many masquerades on the road causing unnecessary traffic.

The soldiers The Authority learnt appealed to the masquerades and their guides to move away from the road but there was no response and the soldiers allegedly shot sporadically into the air to disperse them and stray bullets allegedly injured some.

That allegedly degenerated into serious fisticuffs between the masquerade group and the soldiers as well as other road users and it took the intervention of the traditional ruler of Abagana , Igwe Patrick Mbamalu Okeke to before the military were appeased.

But the President General of Abagana community, Chief Ephraim Ilonze while confirming the incident described it as a minor misunderstanding, denying that anybody was killed.
Chief Ilonze said trouble started when some new intakes into the Nigerian Army from Ukpo community were passing through Ezi –Icheke Abagana and were harassing people which resulted in little skirmishes with the masquerades and their guides but said it was resolved immediately.

He said it is not an issue since the period is a festive period and after drinking some may want to show how important they are. He denied that there was no clash between Ukpo and Abagana people since it was not premeditated.
He said nothing like that happened o Tuesday but Wednesday as they were vigilante even as he called for caution from all sides including the military and the youths as well as masquerade groups to avoid overheating the system. 

The President General of Ukpo, and the traditional ruler , Igwe Robert Eze could not be reached.

But the Anambra police command through the PPRO , Ali Okechukwu , he said he was yet to be briefed and assured he would get back to our correspondent as he was driving but never did as at press time.

Orient Daily recalls that during Opoto festival this year’s February youths from Ukpo and Abagana clashed and killed one person with many others injured over superiority on usage of roads. There were broken heads, cut off ankles and legs. A masquerade from Abagana flogged an Ukpo boy below the acceptable zone for masquerades to use cane on boys passing bye and his colleagues took offence before it degenerated into fight and later killing.

And Ukpo boys alleged that Abagana youths dealt with them during Ede-Aro hence they wanted to revenge.

One person allegedly from Ukpo was said to have been killed while many Abagana youths have injuries of all sizes and shapes inflicted on them during that clash.