The governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru on Monday gave 24 hours ultimatum to security agencies in the state to fish out the suspected herdsmen that killed over 15 innocent citizens in 3 villages of Nkalaha community, Ishielu local government area.
The Nations News Nigeriareports that the suspected herdsmen invaded and attacked three villages; Amagu, Amaokwe and umunesha all in Nkalaha community of Ishielu LGA, and killed over 15 persons, setting many houses ablaze at early hours of Sunday.
It was gathered that after recovering over 15 dead bodies of those massacred by suspected herdsmen including those in the church, many were still missing at the time of the governor’s visit to the area.
Governor, Nwifuru who was represented by the deputy governor, Princess Patricia Obila, said that the state government is very shock and sadden over the incident, adding that: “No government is happy to see their citizens being lost in a very bad way, this is really a bad way, if you look at those corpses now, they are a younger generation.
“What happens to their children and what happens to their families?. Why do you terminate lives that you can’t create? It is too bad. I’m sounding this to all the youth leaders of this community. All of you should sit up, I didn’t say that you should sit up to go and fight. Sit up because this is too bad, what happened I don’t know. It is not everything we should discuss here. Any community that is united, this kind of thing can never happen.
“Not because there is a small problem, you use it as a yardstick to go and attack somebody. Many people died for not knowing what was happening. I’m telling you the truth. Many of the corpses lying there did not know what was happening.
“This land is not happy to lose any of its citizens, talk less of the governor, Francis Nwifuru who is a peace loving person, and by the time you know it, they will begin say on the Facebook that Ebonyi people are fighting, who has ever fought in Ebonyi state? Is it possible?
“I give this community 3 days to go into fasting and prayer, for God to come and satisfy this community. There is nothing that God cannot do. Because if you are united and you know what you are doing, we won’t be here for this kind of thing.
“I want to thank the security agencies in the state for their efforts, without their interventions the casualty would have been so much more than this, but I give all of you 24 hours to fish out these culprits that perpetuated this heinous crime. The killers must be brought to book. I order you to fetch them (killers) out within 24 hours” the governor stressed.
Earlier in a remark, the council chairman of Ishielu local government area, Mrs. Peace Ifeoma Egwu said she received the information of the attack and killings of the said people by herdsmen with a huge shock.
She said that she was about to go to church when a call of the attack by suspected herdsmen came, and she had to mobilize security operatives in Ishielu LGA, who swiftly moved to the scene of the attack to prevent further damages and killings in the area.
“Honestly, it was sad news. Though the state government under the leadership of governor Francis Nwifuru is handling it in a way that such attacks and brutal killings will never occur again in those three villages of Nkalaha community.
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“I commiserate with the deceased families and assure them that we will liaise with the state government to ensure that their welfare is properly taken care of. The state government has promised to ensure that all their entitlement as regards to this incident is given to them” she stressed.
In their separate reactions, the traditional ruler of Nkalaha community, HRH, Ebe Tomson said: “I have written a report to the governor, Francis Nwifuru and copied security agencies, because the problem started on 20th till 31st of January 2025.
“We have continued to meditate between the Agila in Benue state and the Fulani herdsmen, I even invited them to my house in Abakaliki to talk to them over their cows that were allegedly killed. We have even made some arrests to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended. As we are still doing, this ugly incident of killing took place on Sunday.
“The herdsmen attacked a total of 3 villages; Amagu, Amaokwe and umunesha. We are still recovering the bodies of the casualties. Now, the number has increased to 15, and we are looking for 2 others” he stated.
Responding, the president general of Nkalaha community, Eze Donatus said: “we tried to resolve this matter since last year December 2024, but to my utmost surprise, when I was in the church to hear that the Fulani herdsmen had attacked my community. I thought it was a joke, because we are totally about resolving this matter.
“If you go inside, you see that many buildings were razed down, many people were slaughtered like chickens. I’m appealing to the state government to help us. Our people are packing out of this village. Many have carried their luggages and run away for fear of further attacks” he said.
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Also, the former commissioner to Ebonyi state government, Stephen Odoh, while speaking with newsmen at the scene of the incident said: “we thank the governor Francis Nwifuru for the quick response, and he has done well for us. We believe that this coming will bring lots of relief to the Nkalaha community, especially our roads are impassable, and it makes it very difficult for the security agencies to access this community, in case this kind of thing happens” he stated.
One of the women, Mrs. Nwakaego Ebah, whose husband was mascered by the suspected herdsmen said: “the Fulani herdsmen invaded our house and killed my husband who did not do anything wrong to warrant him being killed” he said.
