76 Enugu Farmers still in Prison over Clash with Herdsmen

76 farmers from the agrarian community of Ugwuneshi in Awgu local government of Enugu are still languishing in the federal prison Afara, Umuahia in Abia State following a clash with Fulani herdsmen.

It was gathered that the hapless farmers, including youths were rounded up by “men in military uniform” and bundled into trucks only to surface at Umuahia where they were divided into three groups and arraigned at magistrate courts.

After the brief court appearance the farmers were whisked away to prison custody as none of the magistrates agreed to grant them bail.

Confirming the arrest of his subjects the traditional ruler of Ugwuneshi, His Royal Highness Igwe Godwin Nwobi, said that the incident, which happened last week Thursday was the high point of the menace of herdsmen in his community.

He said since the Fulani herdsmen settled in the community on their own they had been destroying crops with their cattle and over the years all entreaties for them to exercise caution had always fallen on deaf ears.

According to him, the people of Ugwunesi had been enduring the impunity of the herdsmen as they continued to ravage crops and rendering farmlands unproductive, adding that neither security agencies nor government had done anything to call them to order.

After several warnings and pleadings, the royal father said the youths of the community could no longer bear the excesses of the herdsmen and decided to protest the unending impunity. He further stated that things came to a head when information filtered into the community that herdsmen had abducted two women who went to farm.

“When we got such information, the youths and men were gathering in our village square to discuss the matter and plan for a rescue mission when suddenly they were surrounded by men in military uniform who arrested 76 of them and carried them away in trucks,” he said.

Igwe Nwobi said that the farmers and youths had not returned since they were taken away over a week now. He appealed for the intervention of Enugu State Government to secure the release of the detained villagers now languishing in prison in the Abia State capital.

He lamented that with the arrest of his people the herdsmen who were the aggressors were now being portrayed as victims, adding that the people of Ugwuneshi had done nothing wrong by protecting their means of livelihood.

Meanwhile, the Military High Command in Abuja has warned all armed groups in Nigeria to desist from illegal use of arms under any circumstances. 

The Director of Administration at the Defence Headquarters, Major General Fatai Ali, gave the warning on Wednesday at a meeting with leaders of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.

He advised all parties, who were interested in peace, to sheathe their sword or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.

A leader of the cattle breeders, Senator Jagere Alkali, who later met with the officials of the Defence Headquarters behind closed-doors, however, appealed to the military authorities to tackle the current clashes between herdsmen and farmers with professionalism.

Herdsmen with arms have attacked different communities in different Nigerian states, killing mostly farmers.

The latest attack occurred in Nimbo a community in Enugu State.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday condemned the attacks and restated his administration’s resolve to deal decisively and expeditiously with the matter.

This, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, had prompted the the President to direct all security agencies in the nation to fish out the attackers.

“We are determined to secure all Nigerians and I have told the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies, in very strong terms, to deal decisively with the attackers,” the President said.

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