It was yet another gory tale from Abia State, a state that has been wrecked by violence over the years owing to the protracted herdsmen attacks
Reports of attacks on villages and killing of people have become a standard in the state. Hundreds of people have been sent to their graves in such bizarre circumstances. It is a state where piles of bodies in various grotesque forms have become a common sight to the residents.
The Police in Abia on Monday confirmed that suspected herdsmen armed with firearms attacked a community in the state and left scores of the indigenes critically wounded.
The police spokesman, ACP Ogbonnaya Nta, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the command had commenced investigation.
On Saturday, the 20th day of November 2021, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, yesterday, reportedly attacked Umuokehie in Ohuhu Community of Umuahia North Local Government area of Abia State, killing a community head, his wife, 11 people and injuring others.
The Nigerian Observer newspaper learnt from some locals who pleaded anonymity that the militia herdsmen, who ransacked the entire village around 4:am also set ablaze over 80 houses and destroyed foodstuff.
One of the sources said: “The killer herdsmen, unknown to us, ambushed our village. They shot sporadically, and slaughtered our people, including the village traditional ruler, Chief Chukwuemeka Okpara Ogunka and his wife, Mrs Victoria Okpara
A resident of Umuokehie in Ohuhu community told our correspondent that the only child of the community head, a 34 year old Miss. Ifeoma Merriam Okpara who was on a visit to her parents from Abuja, exhibited a show of courage to repel the herdsmen from attacking her parents was severely beaten and wounded in the process, but however escaped into the bush with injury on her left hand.
According to the residents, who managed to escape the assault on their community, the herdsmen set houses ablaze and opened fire on the fleeing inhabitants, slit their throats with machetes, and dismembered their bodies.
Since the attacks began, we have not gone to the farms and even the markets have closed. Hunger has come to stay on our land. If drastic measures are not taken to quell this mad killings by these herdsmen, food insecurity will take over our land, the eyewitnesses lamented.
According to a source, Miss. Ifeoma Merriam Okpara whereabout is unknown and we don’t know if she’s dead or alive.
Right now, a coordinated war is raging simultaneously in most villages in Umuahia North Local Government area of Abia State. Our people are being killed and houses burnt down, and our women are being raped while many children who ran from the theatre of war are still missing.
