NEWS
Ebonyi Residents Abandon Homes As Herdsmen Kill 16 In Brutal Attack
Amegu Nkalaha, a community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has been thrown into turmoil following a deadly attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Sunday.
The assault, which began in the morning, has left at least 16 people dead, several others missing, and dozens of homes and properties destroyed.
According to report on Monday, a mass exodus was underway as hundreds of residents, carrying their belongings, fled to neighboring communities.
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The atmosphere was one of grief and devastation, with survivors gathering in clusters to mourn their loved ones.
The attack, which lasted for several hours, saw gunmen storming the community, killing residents and setting homes ablaze.
It was observed that at least 25 houses were completely burned, while another five were vandalized. Seven yam barns were also set on fire.
Among the victims were retired police officer James Ogbu, Alloy Nnaji (also known as Eze Nwata), assistant pastor Alfred Igwurube, and his principal pastor, Ibam. Other casualties included Simon Ogbuabor, Nnaji Nwa Omebe, Amos Ogbu, and several others.
Some of the bodies retrieved by families showed signs of gruesome execution.
“Some had their throats slit, while others suffered multiple gunshot wounds,” a resident recounted.
The attack has raised serious concerns about the role of security forces, as residents accused the military and police of failing to intervene despite prior warnings of an imminent attack. Some survivors even alleged that security agencies may have aided the attackers.
“They came on Saturday telling us that nobody should leave the community, only for attackers to strike on Sunday morning, killing 16 people and destroying everything,” a resident lamented.
Another survivor, Edeze, accused soldiers of intimidating residents and confiscating their phones to prevent them from recording evidence of the attack.
“Worse still, when they came, the soldiers seized the phones of our people who were making videos and threatened that if they see the videos of the carnage and pictures of the destruction, they will come back and destroy them,” he said.
“After they carried 10 corpses, including that of a retired policeman, the soldiers returned and handed back the phones they had seized,” Edeze added.
The response of the Ebonyi State government has drawn sharp criticism from residents, particularly the alleged stance of Deputy Governor Patricia Obila.
According to locals, rather than addressing the attack, she called for mass arrests in the community over claims that Fulani herdsmen’s cattle had been killed.
“Even the deputy governor of Ebonyi, Mrs. Patricia Obila, was the one telling the police that they should go for mass arrests in our community, accusing our people of killing cows belonging to the Fulani herdsmen. Till now, she hasn’t visited the community,” Edeze said.
Many residents decried what they see as a double standard in how the government reacts to crises.
“If a cow is reportedly killed in a community, is it not the duty of the security agencies to investigate and fish out the killer? Why would the entire community be collectively punished? After the police extortion for bail and payment for the cow, they will send Fulani militias to invade and slaughter the people who probably knew nothing, and the attackers would raze the community,” one resident lamented.
Mrs. Clementina Ogbu, who lost her home and belongings, described the terror of the invasion.
“On Sunday, we were preparing to go to church when suddenly, we started hearing gunshots. Some had already gone to church, while others were in their farms. The gunshots came from all directions.
“We were in a state of confusion and ran into the bushes to hide. Shortly after, we saw thick smoke rising into the sky—our homes, food barns, and clothing were completely burned,” she recounted.
“We slept in the bushes, and now we have no house, no food, nothing left to live on. My family hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday. We need help from anywhere,” she pleaded.
Elder Simon Idenyi also shared his frustration over the government’s failure to protect them.
“On February 1st, officials from the state government, along with the military and police, visited our community and told us that they had made peace with the Fulani herdsmen. They assured us that we should not leave our homes, that the government and security agencies would protect us,” he said.
“Regrettably, at about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, strange faces—who we later understood were Fulani herdsmen—wielding AK-47 rifles and machetes surrounded the community and started killing people and burning houses. There was no security agent in sight while the carnage lasted. The attack went on until about 3:30 p.m., and no single security agent came until 5 p.m.,” he revealed.
The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the attack, stating that 10 bodies had been recovered so far. The command’s spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, said investigations were ongoing.
“Several houses were also burned selectively in the area, and other properties destroyed. Upon receipt of the information, we drafted police operatives to the area. We are currently investigating the incident while normalcy has returned to the area,” Ukandu stated.
Despite this assurance, residents remain skeptical, fearing that justice may never be served. For now, Amegu Nkalaha stands as yet another community devastated by the growing wave of violence sweeping across parts of Nigeria.
Displaced residents are calling for immediate government intervention, demanding shelter, food, and security to prevent further bloodshed.
President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigerian security forces have neutralised more than 13,000 terrorists within the past 12 months, describing it as a major breakthrough in the country’s ongoing fight against insecurity.
The President made the disclosure on Friday during his Democracy Day address to the nation, where he outlined progress made by his administration in tackling terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes across the country.
Tinubu said Nigeria has moved beyond routine military training exercises with international allies and is now focused on more precise and effective operations against terrorist groups.
He cited a recent successful military operation in Arege, Borno State, where troops reportedly degraded a command centre belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
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“We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targetting. In Arege, Borno State, we degraded ISWAP’s command centre. Terror-related deaths are down by 81 per cent since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year,” he said.
The President also emphasized that the Federal Government remains committed to non-kinetic approaches in addressing insecurity, including encouraging repentant insurgents to surrender and reintegrate into society.
He revealed that more than 124,000 insurgents and their dependants have surrendered since 2023 through the government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme.
“But we also keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependants have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor,” Tinubu stated.
Warning criminals, the President said bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terrorism must embrace peace or face the full force of the law.
“To bandits, kidnappers and sponsors of terror: surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian state. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians,” he warned.
Tinubu further urged Nigerians to remain united in the face of security challenges, stressing that criminal activities should not be viewed through ethnic or regional lines.
“At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu has said that democratic governance must translate into tangible economic benefits for citizens, stressing that “democracy must be felt in the pocket” as his administration continues to implement reforms aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.
Speaking in his Democracy Day address on Friday, the President said ongoing infrastructure projects across the country are helping to connect producers to markets while creating opportunities for enterprise and employment.
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Tinubu also disclosed that the National Agricultural Development Fund is set to deploy 10,000 tractors over the next five years to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen food production nationwide.
Highlighting some of the gains recorded by his administration, the President revealed that more than 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been certified for export.
He added that non-oil exports grew by 21 per cent in the past year, reflecting efforts to diversify Nigeria’s economy beyond crude oil.
Despite these achievements, Tinubu acknowledged that many Nigerians are still grappling with economic hardship.
He said his administration remains focused on reducing inflation, expanding food production, creating jobs, improving living standards and rebuilding confidence in the economy.
According to him, the government is working to move the country “from uncertainty to stability,” with the next phase of reforms aimed at accelerating economic growth and ensuring that progress is felt at household and community levels across all regions.
The President further stated that his administration is pursuing financial autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 local government councils, arguing that weak grassroots governance has contributed to development challenges and insecurity in parts of the country.
Tinubu maintained that strengthening local government administration is crucial to addressing insecurity and improving service delivery, adding that the Renewed Hope Agenda is designed to ensure that the dividends of governance reach every Nigerian.
He reiterated his commitment to building a more stable and prosperous nation where the benefits of democracy are visible in the everyday lives of citizens.
Hundreds of pensioners in Benue State on Wednesday took to the streets of Makurdi to protest the non-payment of gratuities, pension arrears and the failure of the government to harmonise pension payments, lamenting that many retirees are dying due to hardship and lack of access to healthcare.
The protesters, under the umbrella of the Concerned Pensioners Association of Benue State, staged a peaceful demonstration and threatened to occupy the Benue State Government House if their demands continue to be ignored.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Pay Us Our Pension, Our Members Are Dying” and other messages demanding justice, the retirees expressed frustration over what they described as years of neglect and broken promises.
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Speaking during the protest, the association’s chairman, Akosu Orban, said pensioners had exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the state government without achieving any meaningful result.
“We have exhausted all avenues for dialogue and resolution with the Benue State Government over our demands without success. That is why we have decided to embark on this peaceful protest,” he said.
According to Orban, gratuities dating back to the year 2000 remain unpaid, while pension arrears owed to state retirees stand at 38 months and those owed to local government retirees have accumulated to 62 months.
He also raised concerns over the non-harmonisation of pensions, claiming that some retirees still receive as little as N2,000 monthly despite existing provisions for improved pension payments.
“It may interest you to know that some pensioners who retired many years ago are still being paid N2,000 monthly pension. If pensions were properly harmonised, they should be receiving up to N40,000 per month,” he stated.
The pensioners lamented that the prolonged delay in settling their entitlements has pushed many retirees into extreme poverty.
“Pensioners are dying on a daily basis because they cannot afford drugs and special diets required for age-related ailments. We have become scavengers, beggars and destitute in the land we served diligently,” Orban added.
The association accused the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia of failing to fulfil promises allegedly made during the 2023 election campaign to clear pension arrears and gratuities within 100 days of assuming office.
The retirees further alleged that they withdrew several court cases against the government after receiving assurances that outstanding payments would be settled on a first-retired, first-paid basis, only for those promises to remain unfulfilled.
Warning that their patience was running out, the protesters vowed to escalate their action if their demands were not addressed.
“We are hungry and angry. If our concerns are not addressed, we will have no option than to occupy the Benue State Government House until justice is done to pensioners,” Orban declared.
Responding to the protest, Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, said the current administration inherited pension and gratuity liabilities estimated at N300 billion.
He noted that the government was making efforts to settle the obligations despite limited resources.
“That is what we inherited, but we are doing our very best to pay what we can. They have the right to demonstrate, but government, in its wisdom, is doing its best,” Oglegba said.
The commissioner added that the administration had fully paid gratuities of workers who retired since it assumed office in 2023, while also working to reduce the backlog inherited from previous administrations.
The protest highlights the growing frustration among pensioners in Benue State, many of whom say years of unpaid entitlements have left them struggling to survive.
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