*Report on a truck loaded with arms, ammunition, and bandits is baseless, misleading - Police
*Governor Ugwuanyi met with security chiefs
Sixteen persons including women and children were killed in a fresh attack on Thursday, by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Eboh, another community in Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, local sources say.
Some residents confirmed to SaharaReporters that as of 9 am on Friday, 16 bodies were recovered while a search for missing persons was still ongoing.
Several others sustained gunshot wounds while about seven houses were razed by the invaders.
Image:SaharaReporters
This comes a day after a similar attack by the armed herdsmen on Isiado village was reportedly repelled by the local vigilantes.
Community sources said the attackers who invaded Eboh village were dressed in military uniforms, which deceived the locals to relax when they first saw them.
A resident of Eboh Ishialu community, Ndukwe Olinya told SaharaReporters that it was difficult to determine the number of people killed as many people had deserted the community.
"We have recovered 16 bodies of our brothers and sisters killed. Among the victims are five women and seven children. The number could rise as the search continues.
"The assailants wore military uniforms and that was why they got many people. People felt that they were soldiers who came to protect them and relaxed before they suddenly opened fire on the people.
"We believe they were not only herdsmen, some of the assailants are from Benue State," Olinya said.
However, a spokesman for the community, Ngele Odoh, confirmed the casualty figure, saying that the police commissioner and his entourage who visited the community on Thursday evening saw some of the bodies.
"They even took away six bodies. Some relations didn't release the bodies of their brothers and sisters to the police because of the extortions that usually follow after they take the bodies away before they would be able to bury them," he said.
Also confirming the incident, a community leader, Chief Maxwell Olinya said, "Thursday, December 8, 2022, is the darkest day in the history of Eboh community. I lack the words to describe what is happening in my community. The security agencies are not helping us.
"The soldiers are only at checkpoints on the major roads harassing motorists. The attacks don't come through the roads. They're in the bushes. Why can't the government deploy drones and attack helicopters to check the bushes?
"You see military helicopters when they (soldiers) are chasing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN)."
Burnt truck not loaded with firearms, ammunition, and bandits- Police
CP Ahmed Ammani, Image:Daily Post
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Ahmed Ammani has described it as " baseless" and
" misleading" the report that some suspected Fulani herders, arms, and ammunition were found in a Dangote truck that was set ablaze by a mob at Umuhu community in Eha-Amufu on Wednesday.
A statement by the Enugu state Command spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe on Friday, said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani on Thursday, visited the scene of the attack together with the 82 Division Garrison Commander of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Brig. Gen. M. K. Ibrahim, DCP Olasoji Akinbayo in-charge of Operations, DCP Fidelis Ogarabe in-charge of the State CID Enugu and other Senior Police/Military Officers and the Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Honourable Obiora Obeagu.
According to the statement, Mr. Ammani “dispelled in its entirety, the news making the rounds that rather than goods and some travelers, as the preliminary investigation has revealed, the truck was instead loaded with firearms, ammunition, and bandits.
"He describes the rumor as baseless, misleading, and an act of disinformation capable of creating unnecessary panic and escalating the situation in the area. Hence, he warns the creators and peddlers of such fake news to desist forthwith, as they will be made to face the full wrath of the law if apprehended.”
The statement further said that “the CP has ordered the further deployment of operational and intelligence resources to the area, while also ordering the State CID to thoroughly investigate the incident, harmonize ongoing investigations into other recent criminal incidents in the community and come up with actionable findings.
CP Ammani while “commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the heinous criminal act and other reported attacks in the area, has made it clear that the Police, with the active support and collaboration of other security agencies, will leave no stone unturned in fishing out the assailants and perpetrators of other acts of attack and murder in the area.”
“He reassures members of the Eha-Amufu community of the avowed commitment of the Security Agencies to deploy both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to decisively deal with the untoward security breaches in the area, while enjoining them to remain law-abiding, cooperate with the Joint Security Team and avoid acting in ways that could further breach public security and peace in the area.”
Emergency security meeting
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Image: Vanguard
Heads of all security agencies in the state on Friday met behind closed doors with the Enugu state governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu over the security challenges in the state especially the incessant attacks and killing of the residents of Eha-Amufu communities.
In attendance at the meeting which was presided over by Governor Ugwuanyi were the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Ahmed Ammani; the Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. M.K Ibrahim; the Air Commander, 553 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Enugu, Air Commodore Isaiah Taiwo; the State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Habu Maina Daluwa; and the State Commandant, Nigerian Security, and Civil Defence Corps, Aloysius Obiorah.
Others are the Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service, Enugu State Command, Nicholas Obiako; the Acting Comptroller of Immigration, Enugu State Command, DCI Mukhtar T. Musa; the Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi Command, AC Opaluwa O.P; and the representative of the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Enugu, Anthony Ogbodo.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ammani, stated that they “deliberated on general security and the happenings in the state.”
CP Ammani assured residents of the state and intending visitors that measures have been “put in place to ensure peace and stability in all the communities without any problem during and after the yuletide,” adding that the measures adopted at the meeting will address the security challenges in the state decisively, according to the Vanguard.
About 60 people, mostly women, and children have been killed in the Eha-Amufu communities since Monday by the rampaging herders.
120 residents of the three Eha-Amufu communities have also died in attacks by the herders, with several farm settlements and villages sacked, since January 5, 2021, SaharaReporters said.
Crime