The people of Ukpabi Nimbo, a community in the Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, which was attacked by Fulani herdsmen on Monday, have blamed security agencies for failing to act on “credible” information they provided before the attack.
The villagers, who said this when the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, visited the community on Tuesday, said they were abandoned even after they alerted security agencies of the plan to attack them.
The General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Enugu, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, and the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Nwodibo Ekechukwu, were also in the village on Tuesday.
Security was beefed up in the community during the visit, with heavily armed military and police personnel all positioned at strategic locations.
A community leader, Dr. George Ajogu, who spoke on behalf of the people of Ukpabi Nimbo at the village square, said the villagers were not taken unawares by the attack.
A corpse of one of the victims of the herdsmen’s attack, which was uncovered in the bush on Tuesday morning, was displayed in a police Toyota Hilux van at the event.
The corpse was said to be that of a secondary school teacher, who was reportedly abducted from his home and killed in the bush by the herdsmen.
Ajogu said more corpses were being uncovered in the bush as about 20 dead bodies were recovered.
Those saying 100 people were killed are just lying and being sentimental.
He noted that the attack would have been prevented had the security agencies acted on their information.
In an emotion-laden voice, Ajogu stated, “Had it been that security agencies responded appropriately, this would not have happened. They (Fulani herdsmen) did not take us unawares, we knew they were coming.
“We are not happy; we have been crying for more than two weeks that our community is under threat. Now, over 20 people are dead. We are still discovering corpses; we discovered one corpse this morning and so many corpses are still in the bush.
“We have been shouting and crying but the security agencies did not come to our aid; only one police patrol van comes to this community.
“Because we lack security, the Fulani come here and tell us the land is theirs. They tell the farmers to kneel down and they r*pe the women in front of their husbands.”
“Please don’t leave, if you leave now, they will return to attack us again. They (herdsmen) have been killing and r*ping our people for some time now,” the community leader added.
The governor urged the Federal Government to address the menace posed by the herdsmen.
"Until the Federal Government decides to address this situation, this will continue to happen,” he said.
Sources say the Herdsmen are angry that people were killing and eating their Cows in the community and all their complaints fell on deaf ears. Government should hurry and lock them down in ranches.
Another source said the police believe it was a case of communal clash and not Fulani Herdsmen.
source Olufamous
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