Unknown gunmen attacked Okporojo Community, Oso Edda, in Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Thursday, with many feared dead and several others abducted.

Confirming the attack, the Ebonyi State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, told Guardian that the command is aware of it and that operatives led by the Commissioner of Police are on their way to visit the community.

Ukandu said that the command will make an official statement on the incident, noting that security has been beefed up in the affected area.

A source told our correspondent that the gunmen invaded the community, firing sporadically and setting houses ablaze, and that the assailants ambushed the community, causing panic as residents fled for safety.

“Several houses were completely razed, while many villagers were allegedly killed or taken away by the attackers”, the source hinted.

Another source from the community alleged that more than five persons were beheaded, with their heads reportedly taken away by the assailants, further heightening fear and tension in the area.

According to local sources, the violence is believed to be linked to a decades-long land dispute between Oso Edda in Edda Local Government Area and Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area.

Both communities reportedly lay claim to a disputed boundary land, a disagreement that has previously sparked sporadic tensions.