FULANI HERDSMEN HACKS FARMER AND 2 OTHERS TO DEATH IN ANAMBRA

There is tension in Umudi¬um village in Umumbo community, Ayamelum Local Government Area, over the alleged killing of 45-year old Mr Ekwunife Echim Okolo by Fula¬ni herdsmen in the area. The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Simeon Chidubem, who disclosed this ugly incident in his palace at Umumbo, maintained that there is no day a case of attack, moles¬tation of underage children, men, women and sexual abuse by the Fulani herdsmen is not reported in his kingdom.

He noted that the herds¬men who attacked the young man at his farm were roaming round farms without their cattle searching for the villagers to at¬tack, hack or kill with their so¬phisticated guns and other dan¬gerous weapons.

Igwe Chidubem, who stated that another victim is now re¬ceiving treatment at Iyienu Hos¬pital, Nkpor, noted that the case has been reported to the Divi¬sional Police Officer in charge of Anaku Police divisional head¬quarters.

He recalled that the same Fu¬lani herdsmen, in February this year, killed one Mr Nwogbo Oka¬for at his farm, alongside anoth¬er unidentified person who was also allegedly killed by the Fula¬ni herdsmen while a lot of others were reported missing.

He said that the communi¬ty has before now, written, “Save our soul letter” to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police in Awka, bringing to his notice the wanton attack, hacking and kill¬ing of people of the community as well as the deliberate destruc¬tion of their farm produce such as rice, cassava, yam, okuru and maize by the Fulani herdsmen in the area.

The traditional ruler who said that the community would always toe the path of peace, appealed to the police and other security agencies in the state to urgently come to the aid of the community and rescue them from the men¬ace of the Fulani herdsmen. He commended the effort of the po¬lice and the Department of State Security at Anaku since the inci¬dent started in the area.

Governor Willie Obiano, worried over the situation, had called on the security agencies in the state to protect the innocent farmers, appealing to herdsmen through the Hausa Community in the state to live cordially with their hosts.