Scores of Nigerian citizens were on Monday feared dead as over 500 Fulani herdsmen invaded Ukpabi, Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State in the early hours of Monday, April 25, 2016.
About eleven houses and a church, Christ Holy Catholic Church, Odozi-Obodo, at Onu-Eke, Nimbo, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state were razed during the attack.
Sources in the community disclosed that continuous gunshots were heard as the rampaging herdsmen moved to sack villagers from their homes.
Apart from guns, bows and arrows and machetes, or swords, were also wielded by the herdsmen, it was learnt.
Many of the villagers escaped to neighboring communities in the Uzo-Uwani area, but it was gathered that people in the nearby towns are also worried about possible attacks from the herdsmen.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu has confirmed the incident.
Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode tweeted on Monday that over 100 people have been reportedly confirmed dead in the mindless carnage by the Fulani herdsmen who are kinsmen to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.
The number of Igbos slaughtered by Fulani militants in Enugu this afternoon has gone up to 100.Many churches n homes have been burnt down.
— Olufemi Olu-Kayode (@realFFK) April 25, 2016
Meanwhile, as controversy to find grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen across the country continues, some Fulani herdsmen, last Tuesday night, invaded a farm belonging to a former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr. Ayodele Adigun and forced settlers in the place to flee their residence.
This is coming after Fulani herdsmen sacked nine villages in Agatu community of Benue State.
In recent times, attacks by Fulani herdsmen have been reported nationwide with little or no intervention from government security agencies.
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) recently blamed Nigerians in the social media for fueling the herdsmen attacks. Dambazau as Interior Minister supervises the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
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