Fulani herdsmen on Wednesday shot a farmer dead in Adani town, Uzo Uwani local government area of Enugu State.
This is as tension continue to rise between herders and communities in Enugu over the extension of their settlements, often times under the protection of the military.
A source told Standard Observers that the farmer identified as Ohmje Amezike was attacked by herders in his farm after he tried to stop them from grazing their cows on the farmland.
According to the source, as the face-off between the late farmer and herders intensified, he was shot on the abdomen and left in the pool of his blood.
The herders, it was gathered, moved their cows to other farmland when other farmers came to Amezike’s rescue.
He was later rushed to Parklane hospital in Enugu town, a tortures three hours journey, were he was pronounced dead.
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Another sources who spoke on the conditions of anonymity said the herders are powerful in the area because they paid huge sums to traditional rulers who allowed them to cause havoc in the agregarian town.
Speaking further, he said the herders invade peoples’ farms, uproot either their cassava, yams or any other crops and feed to their cows.
He added that his cassava farm was destroyed last year by herders after he obtained N500, 000 loan from his age-grade meeting for the cultivation.
The source said that the police have become powerless over the herders, adding that officers routinely mediate for peace between farmers and herders instead of treating their activities as purely criminal destruction of properties.
Meanwhile, tension has heightened in Opi Agu and Ekwegbe all in Nsukka Local Government; and Ugwuogo and Mbu in Isi Uzo following the activities of herders in the area. The four communities have common borders.
It was gathered that herders fleeing reprisal attacks from Ishelu local government area of Ebonyi State following the killing of over 30 persons in the LGA by herders earlier this month have amassed in the four communities where they are building new settlements.
Ishelu Local Government and Isi Uzo Local Government have common borders.
