Death toll from Sunday’s attack on Amegu Nkalaha Community in the Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have risen and residents are fleeing their homes in fear of more attacks.
Suspect herdsmen unleash terror on the community, so far 16 people have been confirmed dead, while so many others are needing medical attention for the injuries they suffered in the Sunday morning raid. The gunmen shot sporadically, destroyed farm produce and burnt down homes.
On Monday hundreds of residents were seen with their belonging leaving town to more safer communities, while families who lost members were seen burying their dead. Some who died by gun shots and others had their throat slit.
Residents alleged that the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian police failed to act to protect them as the attacking herdsmen ransacked the community for hours in revenge for their cows that were killed.
A community member Elder Simon Idenyi narrated to ShaharaReporters: “What happened is that on February 1st, officials of the state government with the military and police authorities came to us that they want to make peace with us and Fulani Herdsmen. After discussions with the elders of the community including women, they told us that the problem we had with the Fulani herdsmen had been resolved. They encouraged us not to leave our houses that the government and security agencies are here to protect us. They assured us that nothing would happen to us.
“Regrettably, at about 9:30am strange faces we came to understand were Fulani herdsmen wielding AK-47 rifles and machetes surrounded the community and started killing anyone on sight and burning houses randomly. There was no security agents in sight while the carnage lasted. The attack started around 9:30 am and they left the community around 3:30 pm and no single security agent came until around 5pm.
“Hours after the carnage the soldiers came and told us sorry for the loss and later left. They took 10 corpses we have recovered to the morgue and still looking for more five people in bushes,”
Meanwhile Ebonyi State governor Francis Nwifuru has condemned the attack on the community.
“I am saddened to learn about the attack on the people of Nkalaha in Ishielu Local Government Area, which led to the death of innocent citizens of the state.
“The attack is a flagrant disregard for the sanctity of human life. The fact that this is not the first attack in the area is worrisome and a source of concern to the government and people of the state.
“However, as a government determined to secure our people by protecting lives and property, we shall take decisive steps to unravel the circumstances behind the attack,” he said.
