Anger has gripped the Onoli community in Ugwuleshi Autonomous Community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, following the killing of a 30-year-old man, Onuchukwu Ogbaki, by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Friday.
Community sources said the attack was the latest in a series of violent incidents that have displaced residents from nearby Obuovia village, forcing many farmers to abandon their lands out of fear.
“It is true Fulani herdsmen killed our brother,” said Sampson Okolie, a relative of the deceased. “He went to check his farm near the Enugu–Port Harcourt Highway, close to the Enugu–Abia boundary, when he was attacked. Only a few people still go to that area because herdsmen have taken over our farmlands.”
Okolie added that Obuovia village had already been deserted, alleging that herdsmen had occupied the abandoned farmlands.
Confirming the incident, the President General of Ugwuleshi Autonomous Community, Mr. Aaron Chidi Osu, said the matter had been reported to the Enugu State Police Command.
“It is no longer news that Fulani herdsmen have been attacking my community,” Osu said. “As it stands, my people are living in fear and can no longer go to their farms. We are calling on the state government to put an end to these constant attacks.”
Residents are now appealing to the state government and security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further bloodshed and restore safety in the community.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or text messages at press time.
