A surge of violent attacks has plunged several agrarian communities in Enugu State’s Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area into chaos, with at least 25 people reportedly killed and many others sustaining injuries. Fearing for their lives, residents are fleeing to nearby states in search of safety.
The onslaught, allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen, has left a trail of destruction in its wake. Families are abandoning their farmlands, homes, and businesses, triggering a humanitarian crisis in the region.
Despite the severity of the situation, members of local vigilante groups have criticised what they describe as a slow and inadequate response from security authorities. One of the local security operatives, Godwin Ezugwu, lamented: “The incident became horrifying as the new Enugu Police Commissioner, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, last week denied publicly that there was any sign of insecurity problems.”
The violence has included several brutal incidents: the killing of vigilante officer Chijioke Anioke at Ekenwaozege junction, the murder of a resident known as Nwa Black in Opanda, Adani, and the abduction of Entraco driver Patty Ozor — during which a passenger was also shot and killed.
These repeated attacks have heightened anxiety in the communities, where residents live in constant fear of the next assault. Community leaders have appealed to Governor Peter Mbah for swift intervention. They expressed deep frustration over what they see as the inaction of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Chairman, Chijioke Ezugwu, a former leader of a vigilante group.
For over two months, locals have faced continued cases of abductions and killings, particularly targeting farmers, with no significant improvement in security. In response, some opinion leaders are urging self-defense as a last resort. They cited a statement reportedly made by the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, warning that “Fulanis have declared war on Nigerians, especially Southern Nigeria.”
Efforts to convene a 2024 security summit have reportedly been ignored by the state government, compounding the communities’ frustration.
According to an April 10 report by SaharaReporters, at least four farmers — including women — were killed by suspected Fulani herders at a farm in the Adani community. The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 8 when attackers invaded farmlands, leaving devastation behind.
Chijindu Omeje, a resident of Adani, confirmed the attack and identified one of the deceased: “Yes, four persons including women farmers were killed on Tuesday at Adani farm,” he said. “One of the persons killed is my cousin’s in-law and his name is Emenike. I don’t know his actual age but he is not less than 40 years. The assailants who were all Fulani herdsmen also killed a Tree feller.”
Omeje further described the worsening security situation: “This incident happened in Adani farm. Meanwhile, the road from Adani to Ogurugu is a no-go area now as kidnappers believed to be same Fulani herdsmen have taken over the road. Several people have been kidnapped along the road in recent weeks. The chairman of the local government is helpless. We need help. We need government intervention to ensure that local farmers can return to their farms. It is no longer a funny situation, something must be done and done urgently.”
The crisis is not isolated to Uzo-Uwani alone. Past reports by SaharaReporters highlighted that residents of 44 farm settlements, commonly known as ‘Ndiagu,’ across five autonomous communities in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, had been displaced through sustained attacks. These began in 2002 but escalated significantly from 2021 onward, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Sadly, the killings have continued under the current leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
