Eha-Amufu and neighboring communities in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State have been deserted after a combined team of Nigerian soldiers and other security agents reportedly engaged operatives of Eastern Security Network (ESN) in a gun battle.
Image:SaharaReporters
Following the incessant invasion, arson, and killing of residents by armed jihadist herdsmen suspected to be of Fulani extraction, the Eha-Amufu communities invited the ESN, the security arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to help ward off the marauders.
According to sources who spoke to SaharaReporters the armed herdsmen again attacked Isiado village in Agu-Amede community on Wednesday morning but had to retreat after they met stiff resistance from the local vigilantes.
However, on Wednesday evening, a truck belonging to Dangote Cement with occupants suspected to be Fulani herdsmen was intercepted at a checkpoint in Umuhu-Eha-Amufu by Ebonyi bridge.
The truck driver refused a request to be searched by the local vigilantes who persisted and allegedly discovered some Fulani herdsmen, arms, and ammunition hidden in the truck.
A source told SaharaReporters that the Dangote truck driver was heading to Nkalagu, Ebonyi State, and had on interrogation, stated that he was cleared at checkpoints along the Ubolo-Ikem road before he got to the Umuhu bridge checkpoint.
The source said that "The local vigilantes demanded to search the truck but the driver resisted. The vigilantes insisted and found over 40 herdsmen in the truck, along with arms and ammunition.
"Many people gathered after the discovery but some soldiers soon arrived. They tried to clear the road for the vehicle and its occupants to continue their journey but some youths said no and blocked the road.
"Unfortunately, the arrival of ESN operatives who were alerted charged the atmosphere, leading to the soldiers with other security agents from the police tactical squad who equally stormed the scene to engage in a shootout with them.
Image:SaharaReporters
"The shooting from the army unit did nothing to quell the situation as the crowd began to seize the occupants of the truck. The trailer was set ablaze shortly after and some herdsmen who were identified as having the discovered weapons were reportedly killed. It is unclear how many were involved.”
"However, the soldiers also killed a member of ESN during the shootout," the source added.
A local security source who spoke to SaharaReporters, said, "only us, security men are in the town."
"We are envisaging that security agencies, especially the military that have been complicit in the undeclared armed herdsmen 'war' on our communities will come back to attack our communities," he said.
About 20 people including women and children were killed by the suspected armed herdsmen in one month during attacks on Agu-Amede, Mgbuji, and Eboh communities of Eha-Amufu while 17 villages have been sacked by the invaders.
Nobody has been arrested in connection with the killings,SaharaReporters said.
The Police and the Nigerian Army have not reacted to the development.
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