Gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, attacked Mgbuji community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State on Friday, November 22nd, 2024. The attack resulted in the deaths of three farmers and injuries to several others.
Video footage has emerged showing one of the victims being slaughtered in their rice field, with a basket of harvested cassava nearby.
Ogenyi Odoh, a community leader, told SaharaReporters that Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the killings and the destruction of hectares of rice fields ready for harvest. These attacks began approximately two weeks ago.
The situation has been further exacerbated by the ongoing workers’ strike at the Enugu State Teaching Hospital (ESUT Parklane), where injured victims have been refused treatment.
Odoh appealed to both the federal and Enugu State governments for urgent intervention. He also revealed that soldiers previously deployed to strategic locations in Eha-Amufu were withdrawn without explanation prior to the resumption of attacks.
“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 in their farms Herdsmen entered the farms and start eating it. 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 k!lled in his rice farm,” he said.
“You can also see in the video the large rice farm that Fulani herdsmen maliciously destroyed after four months hard work.
“Is there a conspiracy, otherwise, how come after the Nigerian Army withdrew soldiers deployed to Eha-Amufu prior to the election and attacks and killings resumed?
He added: “Only about six soldiers are in entire Eha-Amufu with 100s of kilometers border with Benue State. Our vigilantes are working but there is not much they can do. The herders are armed with AK-47 rifles with several loaded magazines
“The man they (herders) butchered that was brought to Parklane hospital was rejected. As we speak doctors are battling to save him a private hospital where a whooping N3nillion are demanded to even commence treatment. So, you can see the severity.”
