Suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly killed four persons and injured many others in a fresh attack in two villages in Nimbo community, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to The Nation, the four persons were matcheted to death during the attack which happened in Obie Aku and Opanda villages in Nimbo Community in the area, around 2am on Monday when the people were still asleep.
It was learnt that several persons were severely injured and no fewer than ten persons were reported missing as at the time of filing this report.
A source hinted that the attack started when the herders were stopped from grazing their cattle in the farm settlement in the area on Sunday afternoon.
The interruption was said to have led to heated arguments between the herders and farmers who succeeded in chasing the herdsmen and their cattle from further destruction of their crops.
Fulani Herdsmen Killed Over Four Persons in Enugu
A village source, who identified himself simply as Stephen, said that the herders later re-grouped in a calculated revenge mission, and attacked the community in the early hours of Monday.
Stephen, who confirmed that the herdsmen killed more than four person, noted that the villagers were still searching for about 10 people missings after the attack.
“Our people were in their houses Sunday afternoon when some people ran back to inform them that some herders came with their cattle to graze in their farm settlement. But our people went there to ask them to leave because they had already destroyed some crops in the farms.
“In the course of this interruption, a heated argument ensued that led our people to chase them away from the settlement. Remember that herdsmen killed our people in 2016 when they invaded this community. So, our people didn’t expect anything since they have left in peace.
“Unfortunately this morning they invaded the community and killed more than four people. The number could rise because we are still searching for 10 of our people. We also don’t know how many will survive in the hospital.”
The source further added that three people who were seriously wounded during the attack have been taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Police Confirms Attack In Enugu
The spokesman of Enugu Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, who was silent on the casualty figure, said that the attack left three young men with degrees of machete cuts.
“Following information received at Nimbo Police Division in the early hours of today, 26/07/2021, alleging that yet-to-be-identified hoodlums attacked some persons in a location at Opanda Village in Nimbo Community of Uzo-Uwani LGA, Police Operatives attached to the Division raced to the scene and found three young men with degrees of machete cuts.
“They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where they are responding to treatment.
“Meanwhile, the area is calm, while the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, has ordered the conduct of the thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.
Ndukwe quoted the Commissioner to have appealed to the residents of the area to remain calm and assist the police with useful information.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a Catholic Parish Priest in Enugu, Rev FR Paul Offu was shot by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Thursday evening.