It was a bloody Sunday as many people lost their lives in four states of the federation.

The incidents were recorded first in Ebonyi State, where no fewer than seven persons were killed in Effium community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

Following the killings, Governor Dave Umahi, declared a curfew in the community.

It was gathered that the killings took place on Saturday when rival members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) clashed at Effium Motor Park, which snowballed into intra-communal clashes between Ezza indigenes and the Effium community.

Sources in the community disclosed that Ezza indigenes in Effium and their Effium counterparts had been embroiled in a battle of supremacy in the park.

It was further gathered that the crisis started when the Ezza faction of the NURTW disagreed with the Effium faction over the sharing formula for the revenues generated at the park.

More than 70 buildings, cars and other property worth millions of naira were reportedly destroyed in the melee as the clash escalated in the community.

The anxiety, pandemonium and violence that trailed the clash have forced many residents of the area to flee the community.

The Ebonyi State government, in reaction, banned the activities of NURTW at the park and summoned stakeholders of the community to an emergency security meeting at the Old Government House in Abakaliki on Sunday morning.

At the end of the meeting, which was presided over by the deputy governor, Kelechi Igwe, at least 30 stakeholders of the community were arrested and taken to the Ebonyi State Police Command office for interrogation over their roles in the crisis, if any.

Some of the stakeholders arrested were the chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Clement Odah; the lawmaker representing Ohaukwu North Constituency, Chinedu Awo; coordinator of Effium Development Centre, Sunday Agbo; and his Effium South counterpart, Eucharia Ogwale.

Others included Special Assistant to the Governor on Vegetable Markets, Emmanuel Uzor, and his Parks Development counterpart, Emmanuel Igwe.

Meanwhile, Governor Umahi on Sunday a imposed curfew on the community as part of measures to restore peace.