Governor Umahi has ordered the arrest of the two APC stalwarts at the centre of the clash.
A police officer and two people have been killed during a clash between supporters of two rival stalwarts of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The incident happened on 26 December in the Ekoli-Edda community.
Sources in the area said the clash was between supporters of the APC State Chairperson, Stanley Emegha and the party's House of Representatives candidate for Afikpo North and Afikpo South Federal Constituency, Eni Uduma.
Mr Emegha, who is also a security consultant to the Ebonyi State Government, is in charge of the Ebubeagu, a security outfit that is backed by the state government.
His rival, Mr Uduma, is a former chairperson of the local government council who finished his second term in August.
Both are loyalists of the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi. They hail from the community but have been political foes for a long time.
Enraged by the incident, Mr Umahi on Tuesday ordered the arrest and prosecution of Messrs Emegha and Uduma.
One of those killed in the clash is a 39-year-old man, Eseni Egwu, while the other is Eme Orji, a brother to Mr Emegha.
Also, one of the houses in Mr Emegha's compound in the community was set ablaze in the clash.
A police vehicle and another vehicle in the convoy of Mr Emegha were set ablaze.
The clash was said to have started after an election of the leadership of a youth group in the area.
The immediate cause of the clash is unclear for now, but sources said armed supporters of the two APC stalwarts suddenly engaged one another in a shootout leading to the death of the 29-year-old Mr Egwu.
A source claimed that youths loyal to Mr Emegha arrived at the market square in the area and fired sporadic gunshots into the air and left.
The development, the source said, attracted youths of the community loyal to Mr Eni, who regrouped and engaged the others in a shootout.
"Gunmen stormed the country home of Mr Emegha and set it ablaze around 10 p.m.," the source said.
The APC chairman, Mr Emegha, confirmed the burning of his house.
He said the gunmen attacked him and his convoy killing a police officer attached to him. He identified the slain officer as "Inspector Akpan".
Two other people from his village were also killed, he said.
"It was unprovoked and unbelievable. There was no quarrel or dragging of anything, they just opened fire on me and those who went with me to the village," said Mr Emegha.
"They attacked me and they burnt my house. I call on the police and other security agencies to swing into action. They know what to do to unravel the truth of the matter. They know what to do."
PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach Mr Uduma for comment as he did not respond to calls.
Police react
Police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Chris Anyanwu, in a statement confirmed the killing of the officers and the two other victims.
"Ebonyi State Police Command is investigating a case of murder, arson and malicious damages to government properties and individuals' resulting from apparent struggle for supremacy and who controls the area politically among two notable political stalwarts in Ekoli-Edda, Afikpo South LGA of the State," Mr Anyanwu said.
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The spokesperson said that when police teams were dispatched to Ekoli-Edda to restore order, they were ambushed by the youth of the area at the village entrance.
"However, the operatives manoeuvred unhurt," he said.
Mr Anyanwu said the bodies of the three victims have been deposited at the morgues.
He said two suspects were arrested, while others were still at large.
"Also, the two political gladiators at the middle of the whole imbroglio, who happen to hail from the same community, have been placed on protective custody to douse the tension in the area, while a scrupulous investigation has been activated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of SCIID here in Ebonyi State," the police spokesperson said.
