Residents of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State have appealed to the State Governor, Gov. Alex Otti, for help Following a resurgence of killings and kidnappings reportedly conducted by armed Fulani herdsmen, which has led to the inhabitants of the locality living in fear.
This is coming a few months after the people of the locality experienced relative peace from the sad experience of armed Fulani herdsmen that has bedevilled the community.
On Sunday, June 25, 2023, suspected Fulani killer herdsmen attacked some locals returning from a wedding ceremony and other commuters around the Leru area of the Enugu-Okigwe-Port Harcourt express road.
According to a resident of the community, the Fulani herders, who numbered around 30 people, including teenagers, ambushed four vehicles and kidnapped some of the passengers.
“The people are from Obuletiti. They went to a wedding on Sunday and were on their way back when they were attacked around Leru. Killer Fulani herdsmen filled the bush, they were over 30.
“They had accosted a vehicle and marched the occupants into the bush, another vehicle was coming but because the driver was on high speed, he stepped on his brake automatically as the hoodlums stopped him, the vehicle somersaulted; some ran away while they held others who couldn’t run” he said.
Perturbed by the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the community, a group called Concerned Umunneochi Youths has issued a save our soul message to Governor Alex Otti, pleading with him to come to the aid of the people of the area and salvage them from the dastardly acts of these Fulani herdsmen.
“Our local government has become a battleground, similar to a war-torn zone. The safety of our people is at stake, and we are living in constant fear.
“These deadly kidnappers are more than a hundred in number; most of the victims that had regained freedom confirmed that the kidnappers are all Fulani. These men have made more than 1 billion naira from ransom.
“Recent events have left us in utter shock and despair. Innocent individuals have fallen victim to the ruthless actions of these kidnappers who show no mercy.
“Families have been torn apart, and the fate of many remains uncertain. The scale of the atrocities is beyond comprehension, and it is a stark reminder that we are facing an imminent security crisis”.
The group further added that “Umunneochi Youths can no longer afford to turn blind eyes to the urgency of the situation. Our community is in desperate need of immediate government intervention”
Furthermore, they called on the state government to take decisive action against these Fulani herdsmen in order to bring the ugly incidents to an end.
“We demand that the authorities take decisive action to restore law and order, protect our lives, and bring an end to this reign of terror in Isuochi, Nneato, Umuchieze, and the environs.
“Fear and uncertainty have paralyzed our communities. People are afraid to leave their homes, and the economy is suffering immensely.
“We don’t need Lokpanta Gariki market again. We don’t need the army barrack/base/checkpoint at Lomara junction again.
“We call upon the government, at both the State and Federal levels, to listen to our cries for help. We demand that they recognize the severity of the situation and allocate the necessary resources to combat this escalating crisis”, the group cried out.
Commenting on the insecurity troubling the community, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Azubuko Uda, stated that the increase in crime and Fulani herdsmen induced insecurity in the state had a political undertone. He claimed that some elements dissatisfied with the change of power in the state were behind pockets of criminality in various sections of the state.
“Some elements that were used as thugs in the past are not happy with the change of power in the state. They were those harassing drivers and tricycle operators, imposing illegal levies on traders. Even when the Governor has ordered them to stop, some are still busy extorting money from the people”, Udah noted, saying that those behind the current wave of crime in the state “are only testing the Governor’s will”.
“The Governor already has our blueprint and knows what to do. We envisaged this and made some recommendations. Because the Governor is a technocrat interested in development and not bringing money to share, we expected this to happen but he will deal with it.
“He has to work closely with the security agencies, especially the police and also set up vigilantes in every community to contain the situation. He has a new Commissioner of police who can quell the situation if given the necessary tools and support. I also want the Governor to have a formidable vigilante outfit in every community to help tackle the monster”, Uda said.
Speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Commander Macdonald Ubah, linked the ugly development to the ongoing eviction of touts and criminal elements from motor parks and markets. He, however, assured that measures were already being taken by the government to address it.
“We are putting measures in place to stem the tide. You know we just changed Government that was not paying salaries; that could not build infrastructure.
“That was a time bomb for crime. But last week we paid salaries so that money will start circulating. When we take out those who get into criminality involuntarily, the rate of crime will drop.
“Governor Alex Otti is aware of all these and he is determined to stamp out crime in the state. He is creating an enabling environment for prosperity.
“He has ordered the stoppage of all forms of levies. Those who think they no longer get free money may be resorting to crime but in the coming weeks, we shall address all that”, Ubah said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, stated that the command was raiding criminal hideouts of these Fulani herdsmen and intensifying its Operation Show of Force in the state in a bid to end the insecurity in the state.
