The silence of govt over armed violence in Enugu, beyond depressing
3 min read
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
The reported upsurge in armed violence in Enugu State are beyond depressing. The response of the governments, from the federal to local and even communal level is even more depressing.
As sad as the situation is, it is only conforming to the limitations of the men and women elected in positions of responsibility. It also reflects the collective decisions of the people who keep electing into positions of responsibility men and women who are not capable of living up to those responsibilities.
Though, people don’t fully appreciate how consequential their voting decisions are. By voting incompetent leaders or refraining from voting at all, communities literally decide their fate in advance even before the first herdsman or unknown gunman pick up arms.
The unfortunate security situation in Eha-Amufu, in the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State is quite disturbing.
Over 13 villagers have been reportedly slaughtered by terror herdsmen who stormed Agu-Amede, Mgbuji and Eboh communities, in Eha-Amufu.
The attack according to reports, started when the terror group, who invaded Ohualu Mgbede village in Agu-Amede on Saturday and Monday, killed eight people.
A community leader, Samuel Ezeh, who confirmed the incident said the terror group declared war on Eha-Amufu communities, adding that between Saturday and Tuesday, no fewer than 13 persons had been killed.
Ezeh said, “Yesterday’s attack was carried out in a village called Ohualu Mgbede and seven persons were confirmed dead. That is for those we have recovered their corpses. This morning, the Fulani herdsmen came again in a village called Iyi Asa but no death has been reported yet.”
A resident in Eha-Amufu, Onyekachi Odo, said the herdsmen launched the attack in the wee hours, adding that people who left their homes to the farm in the morning were mostly affected.
Odo said, “Early in the year, they sacked 14 villages, looted properties and burnt houses. Now, they have come down to Eha-Amufu towns. The village of the Labour Party’s Governorship candidate for the 2023 election in Enugu State, Hon Chijioke Edeoga, has been sacked.”
The spokesman for Mgbuji community, Chijioke Ogbodo, described the attack on the community as an act of war, adding that despite alerting the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and security agents in the state, no security operatives had been mobilised to the communities as of 12pm.
Ogbodo said, “Since the (herdsmen) started attacking our community, neither the police nor the military have arrested any of the terrorists. We received information on the attack this morning and alerted all the security agencies.
“I called the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; I called the state Director of Security Services, and I called the state Commissioner of Police.
“We have notified all the security agencies but as of 12pm, we are yet to see any single soldier or police. Our communities are being razed down and after the attack, the government will deploy soldiers dominated by Northerners to shield the jihadists.”
“If the Nigerian police and other security agencies, especially the military cannot protect the people of the South East, then why are they after the Eastern Security Network that helped communities farmed this season. Now we can’t harvest our crops because so many of the ESN members have been killed.”
