There has been an increase in violence, especially Islamic insurgency across Nigeria in recent months. In one recent such incident, armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen launched a dastardly attack on farmers in their farm settlements at Agu-Amede and Mgbuji communities in Eha Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in Nigeria.
Nigeria: Muslims declare jihad against Enugu communities, kill many people, sack villages, burn houses https://t.co/7BHhUOz3Pc pic.twitter.com/K2PygHp6DE
— Robert Spencer روبرت سبنسر रॉबर्ट स्पेंसर 🇺🇸 (@jihadwatchRS) November 24, 2022
According to SaharaReporters, Islamists attacked the Agu-Amede hamlet on Saturday and Monday, killing ten people, including women and children. According to reports, apart from leaving 10 dead, the invading herders reportedly injured numerous others, plundered villages, and burned down the houses of these framers.
According to a community leader, Ogbu Francis, who corroborated the occurrence, the armed herdsmen returned on Tuesday morning, “this time they opened several fronts, shooting, destroying properties and sacking villages.”
Ogbu Francis added, “Yesterday’s attack was carried out in a village called Ohualu Mgbede in Agu-Amede community and they killed seven persons we have recovered their corpses.
“This Tuesday morning, the Fulani herdsmen came again in a village called Iyi Asa in Agu-Amede shooting, burning houses and properties. As we speak they are still attacking villages. We do know how many people have been killed. They are in three villages now shooting. The military is also engaging them now. Agu-Amede community is under siege.”
In addition, herdsmen armed with machine guns and heavy weapons also attacked the Mgbuji and Eboh communities in Eha-Amufu.
According to Cyprian Ezedeoga, who confirmed the attack, Fulani herders entered the communities of Mgbuji and Eboh.
“They have killed many people also as we speak. There is no security either military or police. Our people are at their mercy. I have received information that 10 people have been killed in Eboh and five in Mgbuji.
“Residents are fleeing communities as we speak. My own house has been destroyed this morning. We need help. A military plane that is bombing ESN camps in other Communities should be deployed in our community. Armed herdsmen are currently overrunning villages. Nigerian Army should deploy troops here,” he bemoaned.
Following the Islamist attack, the Enugu State Government condemned the heinous act in its entirety, resulting in casualties and the displacement of some indigenes of the communities.
The State Government, in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, urged heads of security agencies to rise to the challenge and deploy more personnel to impacted communities to provide sufficient security for life and property.
Islamic insurgency in Nigeria
Notably, Nigeria has been fighting a rising Islamic insurgency for decades, in which armed groups like Islamist terrorist outfit Boko Haram have unleashed their terror on the country since 2009 in the north-eastern region and Lake Chad region. Reportedly, 36,000 people have lost their lives while 3 million have been displaced.
Aside from that, ethnic confrontations have been common in the Middle Belt since the return of democracy in 1999, primarily between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers from the Berom and Irigwe ethnic groups. However, as a result of population pressures, climate change, and other causes, these conflicts have gotten significantly more intense in recent decades. The conflict has been labelled a genocide of Christians by numerous media agencies.
Only in June this year, as many as 50 people, including women and children, were massacred during a Sunday Mass gathering at a Church in Ondo state, southwest Nigeria. As per reports, the armed men entered St Francis Catholic Church in Owo during Sunday service. Reportedly, they also fired into the congregation and kidnapped a priest and other people who were attending the Church as per eye-witnesses.
A week earlier, the head of the Methodist Church in Nigeria was abducted along with two other clerics in the South-East of the country. Almost 2 lakh Pounds were paid by the Church head for their release. Prior to that, two Catholic priests were also kidnapped in Katsina, the hometown of the Nigerian President. They have not yet been released.
In March this year, a rail link between Abuja and Kaduna was targeted where at least nine people were killed and several others were kidnapped. They continue to be in their custody till now.
