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By Suliyat Quadri
Communities in Udenu Local Government(LG), Enugu State at the weekend paid N2 million ransom to secure the release of five of their kinsmen, who were abducted last week from their homes by suspected herdsmen.
The kidnappers had initially demanded N20 million ransom from the families of the five victims.
The affected families that paid ransom are in Ogbele Ohulor in Obollo Afor community, Amogbele in Ezimo community and Imilike community. Udenu is former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s local government area.
While Obollo-Afor is the headquarters of the local government council, Ezimo is the home of the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai and the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Frank Mbah.
Kidnappers who have been confirmed to be Fulani herdsmen have been ravaging the three communities. They killed one person at Ezimo last week. They also killed a police officer at Ezimo last month.
Residents of the communities, who alleged that the Obollo-Afor Police Division and the Orba Area Command of the Nigeria Police have done nothing to address the menace of the herders, were fleeing from their homes.
Community leaders, who spoke to journalists, called for the removal of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Area Commander.
Some of the victims, who regained their freedom, confirmed that the herdsmen took them to two camps in Amogbele Ezimo and Imilike Etiti.
Some of the victims who regained their freedom are Chizoba Ugwu, Festus Ezeme and Chimezie Ezeme.
The visibly traumatised victims who were afraid to speak on record, narrated their ordeals in the hands of their captors
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“They kidnapped us on Monday night and took us to their camp at Amogbele Ezimo at a hill where tipper drivers used to collect sand for building projects. The herdsmen used to camp there with their cattle. They tied us up for two days. They beat us mercilessly and kept us under the rain and sun for two days.
“We fed on biscuits and minerals. They kept us for two days before they moved us to their second camp at a forest in Imilike Etiti,” one of the victims explained.
Another victim confirmed that the herdsmen were guided by the locals who know the terrain of the communities very well.
“The kidnappers who were eight in number are Fulani herdsmen. They did not cover their faces.
“But, at night, we heard the voices of our people who came to the camps every night to bring biscuits and minerals for them. We were sure that the people we heard their voices were our villagers,” the victim added.
The kidnappers had killed Mr. Oformadu Eze and shot Abuchi Asogwa at Obollo Afor.
One of the victims’ father, who was also traumatised, accused the police of indifference.
“In other states, even in Kogi State, the General Officer Commanding the 2 Division of Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, recently led soldiers into the bush and rescued two victims kidnapped in Kwara State and brought to Kogi State. In other states, the commissioners of police, Area commanders and DPOs lead police squads into the bush in search of kidnapped victims. But this is not happening in Udenu. Our people are held hostage by Fulani herdsmen and the police have done nothing.
“Since the latest incidents happened in Udenu, the police only came once to remove the Reverend Father’s car, which was riddled with bullets by the kidnappers. They didn’t enter the bush and they will lie to the government that they rescued the victims. If they had entered the bush in the first morning of the first incident, they would have rescued five of the victims because they were kept near the village for two days before they were moved to Imilike Etiti,” he explained.
The Udenu axis of Nsukka- Obollo- Ikem- Eha-Amufu federal highway is deserted by motorists as from 6pm daily because of the menace of kidnappers
Enugu State Police Command has refused to issue a reaction since herdsmen started terrorising Udenu Local Government Area.
