Oruku and Umuode communities had engaged in bitter communal conflict which claimed so many lives until few years ago, when incumbent governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi brokered truce.
There is tension presently in Oruku and Umuode communities in the Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as both have concluded plans to resume hostilities against each other after years of truce.
SaharaReporters learnt that already some of the trouble making residents had distributed AK-47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) to the militants to attack each other at any time.
Recall that Oruku and Umuode communities had engaged in bitter communal conflict which claimed so many lives until few years ago, when incumbent governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi brokered truce.
Following the truce, Oruku community was split into two parts - Oruku and Aguikpa. Among the terms of truce was the division of the community lands between Oruku and Umuode on 70:30 per cent ratio. Since then, warlords in Oruku who disagreed with the sharing formula had been fighting members of the community who accepted the government truce.
Last week SaharaReporters reported that some sponsored militants in Oruku went brisk burning houses of those that supported the peace initiative.
It reported penultimate Wednesday, that 10 houses had been burnt among whom were those of the murdered traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Mba; former local government chairman, Hon. Ejike Ani and his younger brother, Agozie Ani.
The warring group also shot one Sunday Orji on Christmas Day in his house who survived.
SaharaReporters had reported on November 18, 2022 that same militant who had vowed that there would be no peace in the community had killed two people that supported Enugu State government peace and reconciliation initiative.
The two victims were killed at Aguikpa community, an autonomous community Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi created from crisis-ridden Oruku community in an attempt to create peace but later abandoned the community to their fate.
The then victims were one Ikechukwu Nnamani, a former President General of Oruku community and one Ndubuisi Nnamani, a native of Aguikpa community.
Meanwhile, the militants allegedly sponsored by group who believed that the war with Umuode should continue had been terrorising the people who opposed the endless war with their neighbour, killing and setting their houses ablaze.
Enugu State Government set up a judicial panel into the Oruku – Umuode communal conflict. Unfortunately, the findings and recommendations of the panel had since been submitted to the state government but not much has been heard about its implementation.
SaharaReporters reports that no fewer than 12 persons including the former traditional ruler of Oruku community, Igwe Emmanuel Mbah and other personalities in the community, had been eliminated as a result of the conflict.
In September one Chikodili Ngwu was killed. His murder came barely three weeks the President-General of the community's Town Union, Chief Linus Nwatu, was murdered in cold-blood in his house.
A reliable community source told SaharaReporters on Wednesday, that the pro-war leaders had distributed AK-47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) to the militants in preparation for renewed hostility with Umuode any moment.
According to the source, "On January 1, 2023 the militants shot someone at the boundary between Oruku and Umuode, although the victim miraculously escaped alive. Since that day they have been laying siege on bushes around the boundary with Umuode community.
"After burning the late traditional ruler's palace, they took his aged father hostage for close to seven days now.
"People have deserted Oruku community. Every morning and evening, you hear shootings with all kinds of sounds."
Lamenting the ugly development, another resident who had fled the community, Mr Agozie Ani, said the worst in the whole crisis was that the state government had conspicuously remained silent on the atrocities going on.
"Since they started burning houses including mine and the former Mayor, police have not arrested anyone. In short, no single policeman has visited the community since the recent crisis started on December 24, 2022.
"Those who burnt my house were led by one Friday Okenwa, who was recently released from prison custody over the same crisis in the community. We have people who committed murder released by the government and now are being used to destroy everything in the community. We, who want peace and supported Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi's 30 - 70 peace deal between Umuode and Oruku are now orphans. Our properties have been destroyed and the state government has abandoned us to our fate."
Meanwhile, Efforts of SaharaReporters to get reaction of the police were unsuccessful as the command's spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, could not be reached on telephone as at the time of filing this report.