Nsukka-
Anxiety and confusion has enveloped Abbi Community in Uzo-Uwani Local
Government Area, Enugu State, following the invasion of the area by Fulani
herdsmen who unleashed mayhem on the people, killing a brother and sister apart
from razing down about seven houses and several motorcycles. Herdsmen... as
death merchants Herdsmen… as death merchants Altogether, 19 persons were
declared missing in the community even as several others were also wounded with
machetes by the invaders. It was gathered that the Fulani herdsmen numbering
over 30 emerged from the bush, and began to attack the people in the community
last Thursday, killing their victims and maiming others with machetes before
fleeing into the bush unharmed. The two relations who were killed were identified
as Fidelis Okeja, 45, and his sister Mercy, 50. Fidelis and Mercy were sitting
outside their compound around 6.30pm discussing when suddenly, about 30 masked
Fulani herdsmen emerged from nowhere and them instantly. They later went ahead
and attacked other members of the community with machetes, burnt some houses
before retreating into the bush. Investigations by Vanguard, revealed that
sporadic shooting by the suspected Fulani herdsmen sent shivers into the
inhabitants of other parts of the community who scampered for safety amid
confusion. A reliable source in the community said that the people were taken
unawares by Fulani herdsmen, adding that the police and members of the local
vigilante group were yet to respond to cries of the people before the invaders
escaped into the bush. ‘’The most worrisome aspect of the Fulani invasion of
the community was that about 19 people are still missing as nobody can give
account of them. Those missing were last seen on the fateful day. The community
formed search parties in groups, combing bushes within and outside the
community for days now, yet no sign of success has been recorded,’’ he noted.
‘’We have lodged formal complaint at both Adani police station and Police Area
Command Nsukka, but no arrests have been made over the matter. The Fulani
herdsmen were armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons when they invaded us.
“Two people killed while 19 missing, several others brutalised with deep
machete cuts now lying critical down at different hospitals. “The corpses of
the deceased Fidelis and Mercy have been deposited at Bishop Sanahan Hospital,
Nsukka while the search for the missing 19 people continues,” he said. A senior
officer at the Police Area Command, Nsukka who spoke on the condition of
anonymity confirmed the story describing the attack on Abbi community as
pathetic and sorrowful as two biological relations were killed and several
others wounded,” among others He, however, said that full scale investigations
has commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the barbaric attack on
the community. The Officer, however, said that the police were yet to receive
the report of missing persons in the community on the account of the incident,
but appealed to the community not to take laws into their hands by engaging in
reprisal attack. Meanwhile, a team of anti-riot policemen has been drafted to
the community to beef up security in the area and beyond
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