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Says Mbah has greatly improved security
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People mistook Nkala-Eha in Ebonyi for Eha-Amufu in Enugu
The Anglican Bishop of Eha-Amufu Diocese in Isi-Uzo LGA, Enugu State, Rt. Rev. Daniel Olinya, has denied reports of mass killings and arson in Eha-Amufu. He said social media got it wrong. Many confused Eha-Amufu with Nkala-Eha in Ebonyi State, which faced deadly attacks in February.
Bishop Olinya admitted that herders’ attacks hit Isi-Uzo LGA hard, especially Eha-Amufu, from 2020 to 2022. Farm settlements and communities were emptied then. But he praised Governor Peter Mbah for boosting security since taking office. Now, people have returned home.
He spoke to journalists after briefing the governor. He recalled how, in December 2022 and January 2023, residents, including himself, fled to townships and IDP camps for Christmas and New Year. Today, peace has returned, despite a recent isolated killing of an undergraduate.
Most folks still avoid farm settlements, he noted. They’re far from town and past attacks left deep fears. Still, he plans to urge people to go back, thanks to Mbah’s security efforts.
He said, “No. There is no mass killings. But Abor people used to run away to Eha-Amufu town to stay any time they hear that the herders were coming. But not that there was any mass killing this year in Eha-Amufu. No.
“Even a blind man will tell you that he has seen what Mbah is doing. The security situation in Eha-Amufu has become very good because we do not run again. And we have seen his efforts. Farmers are ready to go back to their farm settlements. And when I go back now, I will start encouraging them to go back because the governor has done something that will make our people to go back to their farm settlements.
“Anybody, who refuses to go back now, will not say it is because the herders are chasing him because they cannot chase anybody now in Eha-Amufu with what our Governor has done and still doing.”
He added, “The problem in Eha-Amufu started way back 2020, and in 2022 the entire Eha-Agu, Mbuji-Agu, Ebor-Agu and Mgbuji-Agu were sacked completely. Even those in Eha-Amufu town were also sacked. Like myself, I had to run away from my Bishop’s Court because the Fulani militia were approaching Eha-Amufu town. So everybody had to run away.
“I ran to Bishop Agbo’s house; that’s bishop of Nsukka, and that was where I celebrated my Christmas that year and the New Year.
“But this recent time, like this year, we cannot say that anybody has been killed, apart from the young man, the undergraduate, who was unfortunately killed at Ndi-Agu Amofia. But, as I said, there is nothing like mass killings this year in Eha-Amufu.
“Nkala-Eha is in Ebonyi State, but people mistook it because we (Eha-Amufu and Nkala-Eha) share the same boundary. So, this made some people to say that it was in Eha-Amufu. It wasn’t in Eha-Amufu. It was in Ebonyi State.”