Magnus Eze, Enugu

At least one person was killed and many injured when suspected herdsmen attacked people at Umunuka Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Farmers in the community had before now suffered intermittent attacks by marauding herders, especially during the dry season.

Sunday Sun reliably gathered that one Dennis Agwu Nwite was killed when some herdsmen migrating from the Amasiri, Afikpo North council axis through Umunuka had issues with some sand dredgers at the Asu Umunuka River.

In the ensuing milieu, a 37-year old labourer who fetched sand there was allegedly shot and pushed into the river by the herdsmen, where he died. They were said to have alerted other Fulani herdsmen around the vicinity who joined them in the attack.

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The body of the father of four, who hailed from Okposi Okwu, another autonomous community of Okposi, but lived with his in-laws at Amenu Okposi, was later recovered with the help of officers from the Police Division, Obiozara.

A community leader who would not want to be named said that the herdsmen also attacked some natives who accosted them on hearing that they had killed somebody at the river.

An eyewitness, Mr Uche Nwachukwu told Sunday Sun that trouble started when a herdsman with a bag boarded a canoe and crossed to the Okposi side from the Amasiri end, and Okposi people, including the victims demanded to know the content of the bag, but he refused.

“They attempted to force him, but he pulled a gun. He was overpowered and dispossessed of the gun; then he escaped and called his people. The herdsmen stormed the Esu River and started attacking everyone they saw with machetes, daggers, etc. Many escaped with injuries. About four persons who received machete cuts and were thrown into the river were rescued by youths of Umunuka community. They’re receiving treatment in different hospital.