Tension is running high in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, after the gruesome discovery of a farmer’s body, brutally killed by suspected herdsmen.
The victim, identified as Igwe Nwa Eke from Ebor Community, was found dead on his farm on Sunday, with his body already in a state of decomposition.
This incident comes after a renewed attack on Friday, where at least three farmers were killed and several others wounded in Mgbuji community, the community home of the Chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA.
The latest attack occurred barely 24 hours after the previous one, with reports suggesting that the invaders were joined by residents from neighbouring Benue State communities.
Video footage obtained on Sunday captures the anguish of Ebor Community residents, who express feelings of abandonment by the government and security agencies amidst the ongoing violence.
The body of the latest victim, riddled with bullets, was transported home in a tricycle. This recent surge in violence is part of a disturbing pattern of attacks that has plagued the area since 2019, resulting in the tragic loss of scores of local farmers and the destruction of properties valued at millions of naira.
In the video one of the leaders of the community is heard saying, “This is the corpse of our brother we found on the farm killed by herdsmen. His name is Igwe Nwa-Eke.
“We have come to the traditional ruler to show him the corpse of our brother who was killed. This is what we saw on our farmland because we cannot do anything or retaliate without getting permission from the authorities controlling Ebor autonomous community led by the traditional ruler.
“Our people, you have seen how it is unfolding. Ekele Nweke was shot yesterday, his brother Igwe Nweke is now shot dead. Why we are showing this is for people to see what is going on in our Ebor autonomous community so that in case tomorrow our youths decide to seek revenge. Look at what was done to us without provocation.
“We have been angered and whatever we can do to ensure that Fulani herdsmen don’t continue to kill our people, we are ready to do that. All the people who are joining Fulani people to kill our people, they should prepare to kill all of us.
“We cannot allow invaders to continue to kill our people while the government and security agencies pay no attention. Those who come to our community are now the ones killing us. We are here to show the monarch what happened before going to the morgue but he is not around.
“We were told he went to Enugu. If we take revenge, the government and security agencies should not blame us. Since these renewed attacks started, we haven’t seen Nigerian security agencies intervene.
“In short, prior to these recent attacks, the authorities withdrew soldiers from strategic places in Eha-Amufu. Probably, the military authorities are in collusion with the attackers.”
Responding on behalf of the traditional ruler, the prime minister of the community, Chief Joseph Ohabuenyi, decried the attacks which he described as unprovoked.
He said, “We received information of the renewed herdsmen attacks on Saturday in farmlands. At the beginning, we saw one person that was shot in the hand. Later we heard that there’s another person that has not been seen. Since yesterday, we had been looking for him.
“This morning, we gathered people and formed search parties to go to the farms. Now we have seen the corpse of one of our brothers that was shot on Saturday. We are crying so that the whole world will hear what is happening to our people.
“They are killing us like animals. The government should help us; we are dying. If you leave us, we don’t know what will happen next. Every living being must go out to look for what he will eat. We will not stop going to our farms to harvest our crops and find food.”
Efforts made to speak with the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unsuccessful as he did not answer his calls.
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