Ruth Oginyi
Suspected herdsmen on Sunday attacked a farm at Ishiagu Ivo local government area of Ebonyi state and killed a farmer identified as Okeke Nkemjika.
The incidence reportedly took place in Amaze community, Ivo local government area.
The victim, Mr. Nkemjika, is from the neighboring Lol opa community in Abịa State but was based in Amaeze community farming.
He was attacked at a palm plantation in the community where he was working as the plantation keeper.
One Egwu Chibueze told journalists that the herdsmen had been terrorizing the community for some time now.
He further said that on that Sunday, the herdsmen numbering about five had been spotted in the night around a quarry site located in the community.
“In the early hours of today I got a call from the security officer at Yitter Quarry located at the former Setraco site at Umbro Ajanyim”
“He was complaining that he noticed the movement of 5 herdsmen with riffles and matchets along the farm area as he came out in the night to go round the company”, he said
Mr. Egwu said he mobilized the youths and Police to go in search party of the herdsmen.
According to him, as they were heading towards the factory they saw two boys coming back from the farm with palm nuts on their heads who told them they just spotted the herdsmen entering the community.
He said when they moved towards the location where they were last seen the herdsmen on sighting them started running while firing in the air intermittently to scare the villagers away.
He said the herdsmen ran into Mr. Nkemjika at a palm plantation and attacked him with their matchets.
“When we got there we saw that the herdsmen had attacked two men who came to carry palm nuts from the farm and they butchered one Mr Okeke Nkemjika the farm settlement keeper from Lokpa.
“Seeing what they have done to that man we divided ourselves into two, I joined some policemen with one of their vans in moving to a hospital at Awgu (a neighboring town in Enugu State) so that we can save the life of the man”, he said.
Mr. Egwu noted that the victim, who received deep matchet cut wounds on his back and arm is receiving treatment in the hospital.
Chairman of the Council, Onyebuchi Ogbadu confirmed the attack.
“Yes, the incident happened. The man is in hospital receiving treatment and we pray he survives. However, there is no concrete proof that the attackers are herdsmen until the investigation is concluded”, he said.
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