MANY FEARED DEAD AS SUSPECTED HERDSMEN ATTACK EBONYI COMMUNITY

Reporter: AMECHI ODO

Some people are feared dead following an attack by suspected herdsmen in Nkalaha and Obegu Communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

An Eyewitness, Mr. Vincent Ogbu, told Radio Nigeria in a telephone interview that the suspected herdsmen blocked Egedede axis of Nkalagu-Ehamufu road where they launched attack on the victims, who were returning or passing through the communities.

According to Mr. Ogbu, those killed included a Pastor in one of the new generation churches in the area, commercial motorcyclists and commuters who were transit from neighbouring Enugu State.

Mr. Ogbu noted that property, commercial motorcycles and vehicles were burnt by the suspected herdsmen, who were before the attack negotiating with members of the communities on how to compensate farmers whose crops were destroyed by their cattle about three months ago.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs. Loveth Oda, explained that the command had deployed police operatives headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police to the area to ascertain the true position of things.

Meanwhile Governor David Umahi had an emergency security meeting at Government House Abakaliki.

However, at the time of this report, the detail of the meeting was not made known to journalists.