Ogona Anita
There is tension in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State, after armed herdsmen attacked Mgbuji community, killing three farmers and injuring several others.
The brutal attack, which occurred on Friday, has left the community in shock.
Video clips showed one of the victims slaughtered inside his rice farm, with a basket of cassava he had harvested just before the attack.
The attack is not an isolated incident. Between 2017 and 2022, suspected Fulani militias sacked over 20 farm settlements in Eha-Amufu communities, killing at least 123 locals.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, the community leader, Ogenyi Odoh, lamented that the Fulani herdsmen killed three farmers, destroying hectares of rice farms due for harvest.
The attack and destruction of farm crops especially rice farms started about two weeks ago.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the wounded victims have been rejected by the state Teaching Hospital (ESUT Parklane) in Enugu due to an ongoing workers’ strike.
Odoh called on the federal and Enugu State governments to intervene urgently, revealing that soldiers deployed to strategic locations in Eha-Amufu were withdrawn without explanation before the attacks resumed.
He said, “Today three people who went to their farms were killed in a most savagery brutality. What is their offence? They went to their farms and while they were in their farms Herdsmen entered the farms and start eating it. They were asked to leave and the next thing was to kill them. As you can see in one of the video clips, the man was killed in his rice farm.
“You can also see in the video the large rice farm that Fulani herdsmen maliciously destroyed after four months hard work.
“Is there a conspiracy, otherwise, how come after the Nigerian Army withdrew soldiers deployed to Eha-Amufu prior to the election and attacks and killings resumed?”
He added, “Only about six soldiers are in entire Eha-Amufu with 100s of kilometers border with Benue State. Our vigilantes are working but there is not much they can do. The herders are armed with AK-47 rifles with several loaded magazines.
“The man they (herders) butchered that was brought to Parklane hospital was rejected. As we speak doctors are battling to save him a private hospital where a whooping N3nillion are demanded to even commence treatment. So, you can see the severity.”
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unsuccessful as he did not take his calls in his usual tradition.
As of the time of filing this report, he was yet to respond to a text message seeking his comment.
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