By Udeh Chinenye
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has reportedly told surviving leaders of war-torn communities in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state that there was nothing more he could do to stop incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen and Agala people of Benue State on the communities.
Responding to the requests of the people, the governor reportedly told the people that “I don’t know what to do again if the security agencies cannot arrest the situation,” an insider in the meeting told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.
Ugamatv had reported that the vicious war waged on the communities of Agu-Amede, Mgbuji, Ebor and Umujiovu since January 5, 2021, left over 157 people killed with thousands of people sacked from over 40 villages and farm settlements and forced to become Internally Displaced Persons in various communities in Ebonyi and Enugu States.
A security source told SaharaReporters that Governor Ugwuanyi had told Eha-Amufu people to sort themselves out during the last emergency security meeting with leaders of the war-torn communities and heads of security agencies in the state, saying “I don’t know what else to do in Eha-Amufu crisis.”
The source added, “If the chief security officer of the state says he doesn’t know what to do, who again in the state will address the killing and constant attack in communities in Eha-Amufu?”
Ugamatv had reported on December 20, 2022, that Governor Ugwuanyi summoned another security meeting over the massacre going on in communities in Eha-Amufu since October. It had reported that no fewer than 54 people including heads of local security had been killed since December 8, 2022, till date in Ebor and Umujiovu communities alone.
Security agencies led by soldiers of the Nigerian Army were said to have told the community during the Sunday, December 18, attack that they (security agencies) can’t fight their war. Between January 5, 2021, and November 2022, 120 people including women and children had been confirmed killed in communities of Agu-Amede, Mgbuji, Ebor and Umujiovu in Eha-Amufu.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi repeatedly summoned emergency security meetings involving all the heads of security agencies in the state, but nothing happened after the meeting as things continued to exacerbate.
However, during the penultimate Tuesday’s emergency security meeting, held at the Loin Building of the Enugu Government House, the people of Eha-Amufu were reported to have told Governor Ugwuanyi that they needed an end to the killings and attacks urgently.
One of the leaders of the community was said to have told Governor Ugwuanyi that “We don’t want your N10 million after every attack. N10 million cannot bring back the lives of residents massacred. N10 million cannot restore the destruction done in Eha-Amufu, and psychological trauma the people are going through. We want action and a stop to the vicious attacks on the communities. Now thousands of people have been denied access to their farms to harvest their crops.”
The meeting was attended by Chairman Isi-Uzo Local Government Council, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and other top Government Officials from Eha-Amufu. Others in attendance are the Bishop representing the members of the Clergy from Eha-Amufu and all nominated leaders from various communities in Eha-Amufu.
