Several women from Eha-Ohala, Mgbuji, Umujove, and Abor communities in the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, have staged a protest against the ongoing attacks and killings by herdsmen.
The state’s police spokesperson, Superintendent (SP) Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed that this protest occurred on Tuesday, March 4.
He stated that investigations are currently ongoing to get to the root of the matter.
However, the women, who gathered in large numbers, blocked the Nkalagu-Eha-Amufu-Ikem-Obollo-Afor Federal Highway of Enugu State, to bring attention to their suffering.
They carried green leaves, sang songs of grief and called on the Enugu State government to find a permanent solution to the persistent attacks.
The protesters criticized the security agencies for their failure to act, accusing them of shielding the invaders who had forced them off their farms and settlements.
They also shared distressing stories of women being raped, beaten, and mutilated by herdsmen.
One of the women said, “Our women are being raped, our husbands and sons can’t go to farm anymore.
“When we go to the farm, we’re beaten, raped, and brutalized.”
Another protester said, “Every year, during harvest, Fulani herdsmen come and occupy our farms, destroying our livelihood.
“We’re farmers, and we have no other means to survive except through farming.
“The worst is that they have sacked us from our farm settlements; many of us don’t have anywhere to go.
“Our houses have been burnt down and the invaders occupy them.
“Many of our people, such as children, youths and our husbands, have been killed.
“In each of these cases, the government and security agencies will deny that our people were not attacked and killed. The reason for doing so, we don’t know.
“If they send soldiers and police here, they will only patrol the town.
“They don’t go to where these criminals are occupying. It is high time the Fulani herdsmen attacks stopped.”
At least 150 people from the Mgbuji, Abor, Umujove, and Agu-Amede communities have been killed since the herders started attacking them in 2020.
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