Tension in Imo community as herdsmen kill commercial motorcyclist, occupy forest

…villagers have fled their homes

From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

Palpable fear and anxiety have gripped the people of Umuekpu Agwa community in Oguta council area of Imo state following the attack and killing of a commercial motorcyclist on Saturday.

This is even as most indigenes of the community have fled their homes as the suspected Fulani herdsmen have occupied the forests of the community .

According to a source from the community ,trouble was said to have started when some Fulani herdsmen were seen grazing their cattle on the farms of the indigenes of the community and that when youths of the community challenged them, and ordered them out of the farms .

But that the herdsmen had refused to leave which resulted in a minor altercation between the youths and the herdsmen ,that the herdsmen had left only to regroup and invaded the community which resulted in the attacking killing of a commercial motorcyclist, Emeka Nnorom who was returning from his business and thereafter fled .

He said ,” Trouble started when youths of the community had accosted the Fulani herdsmen who were grazing their cattle of the farmlands of indigenes of the community .

Youths had asked them to immediately vacate their farm lands , but the herdsmen refused which resulted to minor Fracas. But when they grudgingly left but regrouped and invaded the community , unfortunately Emeka Nnorom ,an Okada rider who on his way back to the community was attacked and matcheted to death by the herdsmen who later fled .

He further disclosed that herdsmen on Sunday night invaded the community .

” About 8pm Sunday Fulani Herdsmen mobilized and Storm Umuekpu Community Shooting indiscriminately at anything in sight, right now they have occupied all the Bushes ,Houses in Umuekpu Agwa while all the Villagers had deserted Umuekpu Village out of fear ” He said .

It could be recalled that the same group of herdsmen, three years ago, murdered one Mr. Ozoemena Iriaka, from same village without any reason. He was said to have been killed on his way to his farm.

Meanwhile, many individuals and groups including Agwa Central Union (ACU) have condemned the dastardly act in strong terms, and described it as unfortunate.

When contacted , Spokesman of the Imo state police command ASP Henry Okoye, said that the command had yet to be briefed on matter .