Villagers Alert On Herdsmen’s Excesses

The people of Ndiagu Atta village in Akegbe- Ugwu autonomous
community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, have appealed to
both President Goodluck Jonathan and the state Governor, Barrister Sullivan
Chime, to save them from the current dehumanization and displacement they are
now facing as a result of the activities of Fulani herdsmen .

Addressing newsmen in Enugu shortly after conducting them
round the havoc wrecked on the community by the Fulani herdsmen, an erstwhile
leader of Nkanu West Council Area, Hon. Vincent Nnaji, said the people were now
refuges in their own land.

According to the community leader, the herdsmen, formerly
grazing past the area, devastating farm lands and the vegetation, now camp
permanently on a hill which serves them as an observatory and a vantage
position to launch sporadic attacks on the community.

However, Nnaji also in a press statement signed by one Ugwu
Chikezie Onuabuchi, made available to journalists in Enugu alleged that the
herdsmen are armed with bows, arrows, matchets, axes, and other assorted
firearms, including pistols, shot guns, automatic weapons which he said, they
flaunt about with impunity unchallenged.

Some of the displaced indigenes who narrated their ordeal to
newsmen from their temporary abodes under the tress said before, the herdsmen
attacked them mostly at nights, but now, they perpetrate their evil acts even
during the day one of the victims said.

Some of the victims, who do not want their names mentioned
in the print, said majority of the villagers have fled their homes for fear of
uncertainty and their dear lives, thus leaving the community desolate and at
the mercy of the menacing fulanis.

Our correspondent further gathered that the people
predominantly farmers, have abandoned their occupation because of the assault,
a situation many say would soon lead to severe famine in the land if not
addressed.

They also accused the herdsmen of breaking into peoples
homes in the community and carting away their personal belongings such as
cloths, electronics, food, money, livestock, among other items.

Efforts by our correspondent to get the reaction of the
Enugu state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amarizu, did not yield
any fruitful result as he could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time
of filing this report.