Four persons have been confirmed dead following a fresh attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Mgbuji community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The victims, who were attacked while working on their farms, have been identified as Daniel Ogbodo, Isaiah Odo, Izuchukwu Uzu, and a fourth individual whose father is Emmanuel Eze. The fourth body was recovered on Tuesday, hours after three others had been deposited at the morgue.
Mgbuji and other communities in Eha-Amufu have suffered repeated assaults by suspected herdsmen in recent years, leading to dozens of deaths, property destruction, and mass displacement.
Speaking to reporters, community leader Ogenyi Samuel confirmed the identities of the deceased and decried what he described as the government’s reactive approach to security.
“We are tired and despondent,” Samuel said. “The government only mobilises security after attacks, when it’s time to pick up corpses. There is no proactive engagement with the attackers.”
Another resident, who requested anonymity, said the killings have turned everyday farming into a game of survival.
“This is like guerrilla warfare,” he said. “We have vast farmlands, but the assailants always find ways to infiltrate through other areas. People are afraid to go to their farms, yet this is our livelihood.”
He also revealed that one of the victims, Isaiah, was from Otu-Mgbuji, and another was the son of Emmanuel Ogbodo. The fourth, Izuchukwu Uzu, was initially declared missing before his body was found and taken to the mortuary.
According to him, herders had previously attacked another farmer in the same area last Friday, injuring him and seizing his motorcycle. The victim narrowly escaped death.
Community members accuse herders of establishing illegal settlements in nearby bushes and launching attacks from those locations. They also criticized the local government chairman, Mr. Obiora Obeagu, for failing to support the security forces stationed in the area.
“Soldiers and police agreed to patrol regularly, but the council chairman won’t even provide them with fuel. Everyone is exhausted and now leaving their fate in God’s hands,” a source said.
Efforts to reach Mr. Obeagu for comment on the latest attack were unsuccessful, and the Enugu State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement.
The latest killings come just three months after women from seven autonomous communities in Eha-Amufu staged a protest over continued attacks by herders, which have claimed hundreds of lives and led to widespread reports of sexual violence since 2021.
