Residents of Mgbuji, a community in the Eha-Amufu area of Enugu State, are gripped with fear after armed herdsmen attacked, killing three farmers and injuring others.
The incident, which took place on Friday, has left the community reeling.
Disturbing video footage captured the scene, showing one victim lying in his rice field, slaughtered near a basket of harvested cassava.
This attack is part of a troubling pattern of violence. Between 2017 and 2022, over 20 farm settlements in Eha-Amufu have reportedly been destroyed by suspected Fulani militias, with at least 123 locals killed in these incidents.
Community leader Ogenyi Odoh expressed his distress over the recent violence, revealing that the herdsmen not only killed three farmers but also destroyed hectares of rice crops that were ready for harvest.
He noted that these attacks have intensified over the past two weeks.
Further complicating the tragedy, injured victims were denied treatment at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUT Parklane) due to an ongoing strike by hospital staff.
Odoh urgently appealed to both the federal and Enugu State governments to step in, noting that soldiers previously stationed in Eha-Amufu had been pulled out without explanation.
“Today, three people who went to their farms were killed brutally. Their only crime was tending to their land. As seen in one of the video clips, a man was killed in his rice farm,” Odoh said.
He continued, describing how extensive rice fields were deliberately destroyed after months of labour, questioning the reason behind the military withdrawal.
“Is there a conspiracy? Why did the Nigerian Army pull out soldiers stationed here before the elections, allowing the attacks and killings to resume?”
Odoh highlighted that there are only about six soldiers in all of Eha-Amufu, which borders Benue State for hundreds of kilometres.
While local vigilantes are trying to protect the community, they are under-resourced compared to the herdsmen, who are armed with AK-47 rifles and ample ammunition.
One of the injured, butchered in the attack, was rejected by ESUT Parklane Hospital.
“He is now fighting for his life in a private hospital that requires N3 million just to begin treatment,” Odoh added, emphasizing the dire nature of the situation.
Meanwhile, attempts to reach Enugu State Police spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls or respond to a text message.