Three farmers confirmed dead as armed Fulani herdsmen attack village in Enugu State

ABOUT three farmers have been killed in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State by suspected Fulani cattle herdsmen igniting fears that the murderous killing have resumed their reign of terror.

Over recent years, Fulani cattle herdsmen have turned Nigeria into a war zone as their livestock destroy farms and when farmers complain, their attack their communities with AK47 assault rifles. Under pressure to rein in the herdsmen by compelling them to open ranches, the federal government came up with the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).

Under the NLTP, states will offer land to herdsmen so they can open cattle colonies but this does not address the problem of them coming with their AK47 assault rifles. In addition, these herdsmen are feared for the violent acts they carry out, including rape, murder and kidnapping, which has made many communities wary of having them in their midst.                                                                            

Over the last 24 hours,  three people have been confirmed killed in the Mgbuji community in Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State by suspected herdsmen. Several others were also reported wounded in the attacks which took place yesterday morning.

Apparently, one of the victims was slaughtered inside his rice farm lying beside a basket of cassava he harvested before he was attacked.  Community leader, Ogenyi Odoh, who confirmed the latest attacks and killings, begged for the government’s urgent intervention to stop what he described as murderous attacks by killer herdsmen.

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 on their farms, herdsmen entered the farms and started eating them.

“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 on his rice farm. You can also see in the video the large rice farm that Fulani herdsmen will maliciously destroy after four months of hard work.

"Is there a conspiracy, otherwise, how come after the Nigerian Army withdrew soldiers deployed to Eha-Amufu before the election and attacks and killings resumed? Only about six soldiers are in the entire Eha-Amufu with 100s of kilometres border with Benue State.

"Our vigilantes are working but there is not much they can do. The herders are armed with AK-47 rifles. The man they attacked  that was brought to Parklane Hospital was rejected and as we speak, doctors are battling to save him at a private hospital where a whooping N3m is demanded to even commence treatment."