Breaking Times reports that the villagers in the community are still counting their loses after the attack on Tuesday, February 9, from the suspected herdsmen. The attack led to the loss of lives as-well-as the destruction of property worth millions of naira.
the villagers.
Another source said that the excesses of the Fulani herdsmen had been a burden on the community, even as they are tolerated among the natives. “There have been successive stories of Fulani grazing in their farms and intimidating them with firearms, raping their women in their farms as well as maiming anyone that dared challenge them. This may not be unconnected to the fact that Hausas live in many parts of the local government which shares a common boundary with Kogi state (a north-central state). own houses, mosque and school in the LG. But “Thus, most of the Fulanis even have their the major challenge between them has been the issue of the visitors operating without
restriction and even ready to kill anyone who questions their will,” the source said.
A native, Ezeugwu Emmanuel, said: “We were all in the farm when more than 20 of them
arrived, some covering their faces. They shot me from the back but I escaped.” Ezeugwu narrated that 51-year-old Felix Okozie wasn’t as lucky as he was. Okozie was shot at the back and the chest at his
cocoa yam farm. As he tried to run, the assailants closed up on him and butchered him with their cutlasses. According to Ezeugwu, the assailants, as soon as they gained entrance into the village square, set many choice houses ablaze with gallons of petrol in their possession. While
some of them still targeted and shot at the villagers. He said that Mrs Mercy Anyaogu (54) and
her first daughter Ugochukwu Okezie were shot as they scampered for safety.
Unfortunately, because of her bullet wound, Mrs Mercy Anyaogu couldn’t get far before they closed up on her and butchered her.
Mr Felix Ugwuoke , a native, said the assailants, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, burnt his three room apartment and kitchen to ashes while he was still in the farm; everything was burnt to ashes before his return.
“This cloth I’m wearing was given to me by my neighbour who noticed that I was left with only
farm cloth I came back with; that is the only cloth in my life now. My two wives and some of
my 10 children have left to various places they could find shelter but I have no place to go, which is why I am sleeping under the tree,” Ugwuoke said. Ugwuoke and many other Abi villagers are pleading to the government and the police authorities to carry out a thorough investigation of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Attempts to reach the Enugu state police command spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, on
how far the police have gone with their investigations proved abortive. There have been a series of clashes between cattle rustlers and farmers in various parts of the country, it would be recalled that about 300 people were recently confirmed dead following a siege on Agatu local government
area of Benue state. Traditional rulers in Ijebu-Igbo area of Ogun state also claimed recently that farmlands had been destroyed and women raped by Fulani herdsmen in the area.
The question now is, why has the government not made any strong statement against this reoccurring massacre?
Only time shall tell..
Another source said that the excesses of the Fulani herdsmen had been a burden on the community, even as they are tolerated among the natives. “There have been successive stories of Fulani grazing in their farms and intimidating them with firearms, raping their women in their farms as well as maiming anyone that dared challenge them. This may not be unconnected to the fact that Hausas live in many parts of the local government which shares a common boundary with Kogi state (a north-central state). own houses, mosque and school in the LG. But “Thus, most of the Fulanis even have their the major challenge between them has been the issue of the visitors operating without
restriction and even ready to kill anyone who questions their will,” the source said.
A native, Ezeugwu Emmanuel, said: “We were all in the farm when more than 20 of them
arrived, some covering their faces. They shot me from the back but I escaped.” Ezeugwu narrated that 51-year-old Felix Okozie wasn’t as lucky as he was. Okozie was shot at the back and the chest at his
cocoa yam farm. As he tried to run, the assailants closed up on him and butchered him with their cutlasses. According to Ezeugwu, the assailants, as soon as they gained entrance into the village square, set many choice houses ablaze with gallons of petrol in their possession. While
some of them still targeted and shot at the villagers. He said that Mrs Mercy Anyaogu (54) and
her first daughter Ugochukwu Okezie were shot as they scampered for safety.
Unfortunately, because of her bullet wound, Mrs Mercy Anyaogu couldn’t get far before they closed up on her and butchered her.
Mr Felix Ugwuoke , a native, said the assailants, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, burnt his three room apartment and kitchen to ashes while he was still in the farm; everything was burnt to ashes before his return.
“This cloth I’m wearing was given to me by my neighbour who noticed that I was left with only
farm cloth I came back with; that is the only cloth in my life now. My two wives and some of
my 10 children have left to various places they could find shelter but I have no place to go, which is why I am sleeping under the tree,” Ugwuoke said. Ugwuoke and many other Abi villagers are pleading to the government and the police authorities to carry out a thorough investigation of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Attempts to reach the Enugu state police command spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, on
how far the police have gone with their investigations proved abortive. There have been a series of clashes between cattle rustlers and farmers in various parts of the country, it would be recalled that about 300 people were recently confirmed dead following a siege on Agatu local government
area of Benue state. Traditional rulers in Ijebu-Igbo area of Ogun state also claimed recently that farmlands had been destroyed and women raped by Fulani herdsmen in the area.
The question now is, why has the government not made any strong statement against this reoccurring massacre?
Only time shall tell..
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