Neighbouring communities deserted as
security situation worsens in Enugu agrarian community
Daily Query Correspondent, IKECHUKWU NNADI visits Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani LGA, Enugu State, and reports that more than eight years (it took place in April 2016) after the heinous attack on the otherwise rich agrarian community, the security situation in the area remains dire as some of the neighbouring communities have been sacked due to frequent attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen, while the local and state governments do practically nothing to address the ugly situation.
Eight years after the massacre of unarmed, defenseless citizens at Nimbo, an agricultural community in Uzo-Uwani Local government Area of Enugu State, the security situation in the area has remained dire, what with the sacking of Nimbo’s neigbouring communities in frequent attacks, by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
It would be recalled that in the early hours of April 26, 2016, Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State was invaded by dozens of Ak-47 wielding Fulani herdsmen who, at the end of the attack which came to be termed ‘Nimbo Massacre’, left more than 40 people, including women and children, lay dead, mercilessly slaughtered by the invading violent herdsmen.
Nimbo is a boundary town in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State whose seven villages- Ekwuru, Nimbo-Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ebor, Enugu-Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara were, in the early hours of April 25, 2016, invaded by over 500 armed Fulani herdsmen, the world’s fourth deadliest terror group, who killed scores of unarmed, defenseless citizens and simply vanished into thin air thereafter. Uzo-Uwani shares boundaries with the Southern States of Ebonyi and Anambra and North Central States of Benue and Kogi, where these attacks have increased lately.
Protesting Nimbo community dwellers
Daily Query recalls that the herdsmen, who reportedly were bent on occupying a portion of the farming community’s land for cattle grazing, had plotted the attack and had on April 23, 2016, brazenly notified the community of their planned invasion. The information was promptly passed on to security agencies who met with a view to developing counter-attack strategies, which, in the end, amounted to nothing as the armed herdsmen numbering over 500 struck at about 5.15 am on April 25, 2016, killing over 40 people and practically vanishing into thin air after the attacks, without a whimper from the Nigerian security agencies.
The following day, April 26, 2016, six more bodies were recovered even as 14 victims lay critically ill at Royal Cross Hospital, Nsukka, District General Hospital and Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka.
Daily Query recalls that during the raid, a church known as Christ Holy Church International (AKA Odozi-Obodo), at Onu-Eke, and 11 houses were burnt by the marauders.
As a result of the insecurity that followed the attack, displaced indigenes fled to neighboring communities of Nkpologu and Uvuru, whose own indigenes also fled to Nsukka for fear of further attacks by the violent herdsmen.
Compromised Security
According to the then Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the terrorism at Nimbo may have happened due to the inability of security agencies to successfully act on the counter intelligence report about herdsmen grouping at neighbouring Odolu in Kogi state in preparation for attack.
It is recalled that although security agents had promptly deployed to the Nimbo to ward off the impending attack, they were to inexplicably withdraw from their positions barely 30 minutes before the herdsmen attacked. The Enugu State Police Commissioner who ordered the withdrawal, an Imo State indigene, was simply reposted to a more “lucrative” station as the Commissioner of Police in charge of Port Harcourt Ports!
Security worsens in Nimbo, neighbouring communities
When our reporter visited Nimbo recently, it was discovered that the community is yet to recover from the effects of the heinous attack on it by violent herdsmen more than eight years ago. Traders who usually came to the once-bustling agricultural community at Eke Nimbo days to buy farm produce at cheaper rates, have become very scanty these days. Indeed, vehicles no longer ply the community regularly as they used to, due to the insecurity that the community has had to live with since the attack of 2016. In any case, not much farming and production are going on in Nimbo and the surrounding communities at the moment.
Indeed, Nimbo’s neighbouring communities are largely worse off. Take Opanda, a neighbouring agricultural community. At Union primary school, Opanda, only about three female teachers were seen inside the classroom. Our reporter also gathered that none of the classrooms has up to 10 pupils.
One of the teachers who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, told Daily Query that the situation is becoming worse by the day.
“The situation here in Opanda is daily becoming worse. As you can see, virtually nobody is living in Opanda again. Every day, people pack out of the community because of insecurity,” she agonized.
Asked if she couldn’t secure a transfer if she felt so unsafe in the town, she said: “I have sought for transfer several times but it has been turned down. Right now, I come all the way from Nsukka town and it has not been easy for me. I cannot continue to stay here with my family when I know that there is a high level of insecurity here.”
At Welfare Secondary School, Opanda, there were virtually no students in the school. A student who spoke to our reporter said: “Our teachers come all the way from Nsukka. Some of them come two times while others come once a week.
“After this first term, my parents have told us we will pack out from the Opanda community and go back to our community. Last year, my uncle and his two children were killed here by suspected Fulani herdsmen. We can’t continue to risk our life unnecessarily here. We are going back to our village.”
At Adani community, about 10 kilometers from Nimbo, the story is still the same. The high level of insecurity in the rice-farming community has forced many businesses to shut down and relocate out of the area.
As the security situation has deteriorated, especially along Nimbo/Opanda/Adani Road, evident in the high rate of kidnapping, killings and other nefarious activities, people and businesses have been moving out of the rich agricultural enclave in droves. On the 5th of this month, for instance, a leading microfinance bank in Enugu State with a branch in the area, Kenechukwu Microfinance bank, shut down its operations and left the community.
Citing insecurity for their closure, a worker in the bank told Daily Query: “We cannot afford to continue recording losses here every month due to lack of business environment. High rates of kidnapping and killings in this axis have driven businessmen away from this area. So, we don’t have any reason whatsoever to continue staying here.”
Uzo-Uwani youth movement speaks
However, the president of Concerned Uzo-Uwani Youth Movement (CUYM), a sociocultural group in the council area, Comrade Cletus Idiga, has attributed the untoward situation in Uzo-Uwani to the failure of the local government chairman and his team to provide the needed leadership.
“When I read on social media about the killings and kidnappings in Uzo-Uwani Local Government, I weep. And it’s all because of the failings of this government,” he lamented. “His brother gave him all the necessary opportunities to succeed, but he carefully wanted to fail in all ramifications, especially in the security of the council. We keep losing souls daily because of his poor leadership approach to critical issues.”
“A few days ago, Ada- Farm settlement was attacked; a few weeks ago, Adani and Ojjor were attacked, and a few months ago, my dear Sister was shot to death along the Adani-Opanda Road etc. All these are happening and no drastic leadership action was taken,” he further lamented.
“I recall the first tenure of Hon Chukwudi Nnadozie, when the leadership of the Concerned Uzo-uwani Youth Movement (CUYM), after a series of attacks in Uzo-Uwani LGA, met with the CEO of WILSON VEGETABLE OIL, who is the owner of the palm farm along Opanda-Adani Road where these attacks normally happen, and reached an
agreement with the company to build 10 modern security
posts in Uzo-Uwani as the company’s way of giving back to the Local Government.
“Four security posts were to be spread along Nimbo -Adani Road; three along Abbi-Nrobo Road and three along Onugbogbo – Umulokpa Road. The project was to cost N5m apiece then, which the company agreed to sponsor.
“Funny enough, when the Chairman got the information about the plan, he rushed and mobilized his neighbourhood watch men and they started clearing the bushes along Nimbo- Adani Road, declaring that his government was building security posts across the local government area. Of course, when the company got the information, they tactically paused the arrangement with the CUYM.
“The sad thing after his first and second tenure is that the Chairman did not build even one security post. The neighbourhood guards are not equipped to discharge their responsibilities. Just three days ago, after a series of attacks, the Chairman is still planning to build a security camp in Ada Farm Settlement.”
