Six people, including two pregnant women, were killed in an attack by suspected herders in the Mgbuji and Ebo autonomous communities of Enugu State’s Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area.
Many residents of the communities were also reported missing, and houses and motorcycles were set ablaze during the attack on seven farm settlements.
According to reports, the trouble began when some youths chased some herders out of their farms for allegedly allowing their cows to destroy hectares of cassava plantation.
In the ensuing struggle between the youth and the herders, some cows were said to have been killed, causing the herdsmen to launch a reprisal.
Some community leaders, who spoke to the media on condition of anonymity on Friday, said the herdsmen invaded the settlements at about 3pm on Thursday with AK-47 rifles and shot indiscriminately.
“After soldiers left the community for about four days, the Fulani herdsmen launched the attack on Thursday. When we heard rumours that they were preparing to invade our communities, we promptly alerted the police and the military.
“What we don’t know is why all the soldiers deployed to the settlements were withdrawn. I must tell you that except one soldier from the South-South, all the soldiers deployed to the community were northern Muslims. On one of the occasions, they even opened fire on our local vigilantes who were patrolling the settlements to repel attacks by the invaders.