48 hours after rampaging Fulani herdsmen invaded an
agrarian community, Ukpabi Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Enugu
State, reports have emerged of killings of a known IPOB leader and son, Mr.
Christopher Onoh and David Onoh, whose lifeless bodies were recovered from
their farmland.
It was gathered that the IPOB
leader and his two sons, David and Daniel Chukwuebuka Onoh who until the
attacks, were known to be members of the Biafra Separatist group, IPOB, were
said to have been under threats by herders prior to the headers’ invasion.
Since recovering the corpses of Christopher and David, the
whereabouts of young Daniel Chukwuebuka Onoh, who is twin brother of the
deceased David, is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filling this report.
Meanwhile,
unverifiable facts indicate that Daniel’s family, who are indigenes of Ngwo, in
Udi LGA of Enugu State were resident farmers of Ukpabi Nimbo as at the time of
the attacks.
Following the ugly incident, Daniel
had run to an undisclosed destination for his safety, following the bizarre
killings of his father and twin brother.
It will be recalled
that over 60 houses and shops were set ablaze by the invading herdsmen and
about 56 injured residents are receiving treatment at Bishop Shanahan hospitals
in Nsukka LGA.
The attack came two
days after a security report hinted of an impending attack by Fulani herdsmen
in the area.
The report had said
the community would be invaded by about 500 Fulani herdsmen from Nasarawa
State.
A team of soldiers and
mobile police drafted to the area after the report of the invasion filtered
into the state was overpowered by the herdsmen.
The invaders, who came
into Ukpabi-Nimbo in the wee hours of yesterday, were said to have used
grenades, AK 47 and other dangerous weapons.
According to the residents, the herdsmen “were
indiscriminately shooting and cutting our kinsmen with machetes,” said Grace
Onoh who survived the attack.
As at yesterday
evening, some residents said those killed have exceeded the initial 48 brought
to the Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, by policemen.
Transitional Committee Chairman of
Uzo-Uwani Local Government, Cornell Onwubuya said despite efforts to stop the
attack, the herdsmen still went ahead to unleash mayhem on the community.
Enugu Police, in a
statement, said it had commenced “a full scale investigation into the alleged
killing of six persons at Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government by suspected
herdsmen”.
The police said
following a report, the Commissioner of Police, Nwaodibo Ekechukwu, mobilised
and left with operatives to ensure that the incident did not degenerate into an
uncontrollable situation and to work out strategies aimed at fishing out those
behind it and to bring them to book.
Ekechukwu who visited
the area, urged the people of Nimbo to continue to be law-abiding and never to
take laws into their hands.
But a worker at Bishop
Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, confirmed receiving 30 bodies and 22 injured persons
in the morning.
Hundreds of displaced
residents are reported to be taking refuge in Nsukka.
