Fear grips Imo residents over killings by suspected Cattle rearers

DDM NEWS

Herdsmen

Residents of Imo State, particularly in the Orlu zone, have expressed deep concern over a surge in violent attacks and killings attributed to suspected herdsmen.

These attacks have resulted in the deaths of several villagers, with many more injured or displaced.

The victims include farmers and traders who have been targeted while going about their daily activities.

The attacks have primarily affected communities in the Orlu zone, including parts of Orsu, Njaba, and other local government areas.

The assailants, suspected to be herdsmen, have been armed with sophisticated weapons, including guns and machetes.

They have reportedly invaded communities, attacking residents and destroying property.

Several people have been killed, and many more have been injured. The attacks have also led to the displacement of residents who have fled their homes in fear of further violence.

Community leaders and residents are calling on the state and federal governments to take immediate action to address the crisis.

They demand increased security presence in the affected areas to prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.

In response to the crisis, the Imo State government has deployed security personnel to the affected areas.

Efforts are being made to apprehend the attackers and restore peace in the region.

The attacks in Imo State are part of a broader pattern of violence between farmers and herders across Nigeria.

This conflict is often driven by competition over land and resources, exacerbated by environmental changes and population pressures.

The situation highlights the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where the presence of security forces is often limited.

It underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of these conflicts and ensure the safety of all communities.

The killings by suspected herdsmen in Imo State have sparked widespread fear and concern among residents.

The government and security agencies must take decisive action to protect the affected communities and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Addressing the underlying causes of the farmer-herder conflict is also crucial to preventing further violence and ensuring long-term peace in the region.

Speaking to our reporter in Owerri on Monday the people warned that Imo State giving the ceaseless, mindless and bloodletting, may degenerate to another Benue in no distant time, if the appalling trend is not checked.

A trader in Owerri, who simply identified him self as Ugo Nwagwu lamented that the nefarious activities of killer herdsmen and trigger-happy police and military personnel have made life most unbearable and precarious for the citizens in recent time.

Nwagwu wondered why the government simply abandoned the hapless citizens to their fate without visible practical steps to address the bloodthirsty herdsmen and security operatives menace.

He expressed worry that many communities in Imo State have been overrun by Fulani terrorists operating as herdsmen who engage in kidnapping for ransom, ritual murder, human organ harvesters, cannibalism, rape and other forms of social vices.

Another contributor, a civil servant who preferred anonymity noted with dismay that many unscrupulous security operatives who by their call of duty are supposed to protect the citizens have turned themselves into the proverbial dog that ‘ate the bone hung on its neck.’

Mr Jones Ukeje, a driver, Ms Joyce Azu, hairdresser, Anayo Uzoma, carpenter among others who spoke estimated that no fewer than 2,000 persons in Imo may have fallen to bullets and machetes of the mindless herdsmen and security men in various overt and covert operations.

Another concerned citizen, Uchenna Uba identified operatives of the military and police as the worst culprits in the evil act of extrajudicial killings alleging that most killings credited to unknown gunmen were perpetrated by them under cover.