A yet-to-be-ascertained number of people have reportedly been killed after suspected armed herdsmen attacked Ebor, Eha-Amufu community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday morning.
This is as another set of suspected herdsmen, weekend, carried out a fresh attack on Adaka community, killing at least three persons.
Since 2021, communities in Isi Uzo have come under attack, with over 100 said to have been killed so far.
According to sources, the masterminds of the early morning Sunday attack outnumbered the soldiers and local vigilantes while they launched the attack, killing several people.
A community leader, Ogbuabor Samuel, who confirmed the attack, said several people had been killed, adding that at least 10 bodies had been recovered.
He blamed the local government chairman, whom he said was playing politics with the lives of Eha-Amufu, because of the 2023 general election.
“The chairman of the Isi-Uzo local government area is playing politics with our lives,” he said, adding, “He didn’t want to tell the governor the true facts of what is happening in our community. He is not supporting the local vigilantes and other local security.”
Samuel claimed that the LH chairman dissolved all the local vigilantes formed by Eha-Amufu communities and hardly visited the affected communities.
“We need the government to declare a security emergency in Eha-Amufu, especially in Ebor, Umujiovu, Mgbuji and Agu-Amede communities,” he said, noting that, “Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi should do something drastic. His government should stop politicizing the situation in our place.”
He further claimed that Agala people in Benue State had joined forces with the armed herdsmen in attacking and killing the people every day.
“They have sacked several villages and occupied them. They have destroyed our people’s livelihood. Properties worth millions have been destroyed and those in political positions in Enugu State are playing politics with it?” he said.
from Adaka, a settlement about 20 kilometers on the outskirts of Makurdi Local Government Area, which is also Benue’s State capital, a resident of the community, Iorkohol Unande,who survived the dastardly incident narrated that the attack was unprovoked.
He said the attackers shot sporadically, injuring several persons in the community while three dead bodies were recovered by the time the killer herdsmen retreated unchallenged.
According to him, the three persons killed by the attackers were all men, who were shot at and their bodies butchered by the assailants.
Reacting to the unending orgy of bloodletting, a resident of Makurdi, John Kwaghmande, stated that “the killer Fulani herdsmen have a mission to displace our people and take over our lands ahead of next year’s polls.
“It is unfortunate that other politicians in our state are collaborating with these monstrous terrorists to unleash mayhem on our people. We will reject such persons at the polls,” he stated.
George Okoh in Makurdi and Gideon Arinze in Enugu
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