Herdsmen living in Anambra State welcome the state’s governor-elect, Churkwuma Soludo after he won the November 6 election.
Anthony Iwuoma
Soludo Charles, governor-elect of Anambra State, may have been served a dose of what to expect when he is eventually sworn in early next year.
This is as Mmiata community in Anambra West Local Government Area has protested alleged attacks on Ebenebe farm settlement in the community by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Consequently, many residents of the community have reportedly fled to seek shelter in other areas.
A youth leader, Obinna Chigbata, who addressed newsmen in Onitsha on Thursday traced the attack to the beginning of this year when the herdsmen insisted that they must graze on the farm settlement, spurning several meetings with them in search for peace.
Chigbata also alleged that security agents had turned a blind eye to the atrocious acts of the herdsmen, including kidnapping, rape and destruction of the property despite reports to them.
Chigbata claimed his safety is at risk because of his efforts to foster peace in the area.
He said: “As I am talking to you now my life, as the financier/sponsor of the meeting for peaceful settlement of the crisis and others is in great danger because they are looking for us to kill.
“There was a time I was in a friend’s car and as we were driving we did not know that they laid ambush and they fired at us, killing my friend who was driving the car on the spot, maybe they thought I was the one driving.
“Since we have become targets of the herdsmen for opposing grazing in our farmlands we have no alternative than to desert the community because the attack has even increased resulting in our people running away from their ancestorial home.
“Some have even suggested we employ the services of Eastern Security Network, ESN, of IPOB since the government security operatives are of no assistance to us as they have left us to die in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen with they bought over government security operatives.”
However, spokesman of the Anambra Police Command, Tochukwu said the Command was not yet aware of the alleged attacks.