The traditional ruler of Agu-Amede Autonomous Community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe John Ayika, has given a harrowing account of the brutal attack by suspected herders that left several villagers dead and many others injured over the weekend.
Speaking in an emotional interview with Arise TV, the monarch recalled the terrifying moments his community was overrun by armed assailants, who carried out the massacre using machetes rather than firearms.
“It was a very big disaster; they used machetes instead of guns to k!ll anybody they ran into,” Ayika said, as he recounted the sheer horror of the scene. “They didn’t start with gunfire. They crept in and hacked down innocent people before anyone could react.”
The attack, which occurred last Saturday, claimed the lives of ten local security volunteers and displaced scores of residents, sparking fresh concerns over security in Nigeria’s southeast.
In the same report, other residents shared their anguish. Reverend Alex Onowu, who lost his father-in-law in the assault, described the government’s response as fleeting and ineffective. “They came, consoled us, and left. But there is no steady presence to prevent another attack. We keep burying our loved ones,” he said.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has, however, insisted that the state remains one of the safest in the country, attributing ongoing security to the synergy between the police and other agencies. “We’re not going to rest. We’re working with the CP and his men to ensure security is sustained,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters in Abuja announced that over 6,000 terrorists and criminals have been eliminated in military operations across the country in the last two years. Yet, the recurring violence in rural communities like Agu-Amede highlights a growing gap between national security claims and the lived realities of vulnerable populations.
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