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.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has invited global investors to participate in the bid for the 2026 Licensing Round, which has 40 oil and gas blocks on offer.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, informed investors at the 2026 ADIPEC Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday, November 2, 2026 that Nigeria offers a stable climate amid global energy tensions.
She urged investors to look to Nigeria and take advantage of the opportunities and revealed that the licensing round portal will officially open on November 20, 2026.
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The NUPRC boss said this during a roundtable discussion titled, ‘Energy Sovereignty in an Interconnected World: Aligning National Priorities, Markets and Global Security’.
She said, “We are expecting investors to turn to Nigeria. We are going into another licensing round, and we will launch our bid portal on November 20. We expect to see interested investors because the environment is a lot more competitive.
“We have set a very attractive fiscal framework for investors. The overall environment is much more secure. We have been able to manage costs with a lot of incentives for investors, and we expect to see investors take up the offer when we open the portal.”
The NUPRC boss noted that since the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021, as well as the executive orders signed by President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria has seen an improved investment climate.
Eyesan said that between 2021 and 2026, the NUPRC held at least four successful licensing rounds, which brought more investment into the country.
This marks a departure from the pre-PIA era, when licensing rounds were less frequent.
The CCE said Nigeria has huge energy potential, as it sits on 215 TCF of gas, but daily production is barely 7 bcf.
This presents an opportunity to investors, especially as key gas infrastructure, such as pipelines, is being built, she said. The stars are already aligned. For gas infrastructure, we just completed very major infrastructure projects that will unlock gas supply in the country and the sub-region.”
We have two major projects on the drawing board to move gas through the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline.
Again, this gas will go to Europe and will also meet regional demand. So, Nigeria is positioned to meet not just domestic supply,” the CCE stated.
Eyesan maintained that as many countries discover petroleum resources, the race for investment has become more competitive.
She said Nigeria was already ahead of the game, as it had made certain modifications to attract the right capital.
“We understand that investors will prize execution risk, cost, delays and also uncertainty, and so what we have done in Nigeria is to ensure that we guard against these risks and then attract the investment required to enable us to unlock the huge resources we sit on,” the NUPRC boss said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described his emergence as Nigeria’s President as a special favour from Almighty Allah, saying his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is a privilege that must be matched with dedicated service to the country.
Tinubu made the remarks while reflecting on his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj (Umrah), during which he was granted access to pray inside the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
The President expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his Nigerian delegation the rare privilege.
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Speaking after the spiritual exercise, Tinubu said his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing, considering the millions of people in the country.
“I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour. Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,” he said.
The President also disclosed that he used the opportunity to pray for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.
“Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted,” Tinubu said.
Recalling his previous Umrah pilgrimage before the 2023 presidential election, he said he had asked Allah to bless the journey and promised to return to express gratitude.
Tinubu also reflected on the message in Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, which establishes Allah as the ultimate owner of sovereignty and authority, with the power to give and take leadership.
He said the message reinforces the need for those entrusted with positions of authority to exercise power responsibly, with humility and in the interest of the people.
“There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority,” the President said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to building a prosperous Nigeria, investing in the future of young Nigerians and pursuing development in line with the aspirations of the people.
Tinubu described the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’abah as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience, adding that it reflected the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The Ogun State Police Command has received three major honours at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council’s Golden Jubilee Press Week, with Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni named a Golden Jubilee Ambassador.
The Command received the Shield of Public Safety Award, while its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, was presented with the Vanguard of Public Safety Award.
The recognition formed part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the NUJ in Ogun State, which coincides with the state’s 50th anniversary.
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According to a statement released on Monday, November 2, 2026, by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Babaseyi, the awards recognised the Command’s commitment to public safety, proactive policing and effective engagement with the media.
The Golden Jubilee Press Week, held from October 26 to November 1, 2026, was themed, “Truth, Trust and the Press: Protecting Democratic Choice and Rebuilding Public Confidence in Journalism.”
Ojajuni also participated in a panel session during the celebration, where he urged journalists to uphold truth, professional ethics and patriotism, stressing the importance of responsible journalism to national development and public confidence in public institutions.
While receiving the Shield of Public Safety Award, the police commissioner attributed the Command’s achievements, particularly the impact of Operation KOSAYE, to the strategic direction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, under the Handshake Patrol initiative.
He explained that the operation was carried out on the directive of the IGP through collaboration between the Ogun and Lagos State Police Commands, with support from the governors of both states.
According to him, the initiative strengthened security cooperation between the two states and improved coordinated efforts to prevent and combat criminal activities.
Ojajuni was also named among 50 distinguished personalities recognised as Golden Jubilee Ambassadors.
The honour reflects his leadership and previous contributions to policing in Ogun State, where he served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department and Squadron Commander of the 16 Police Mobile Force, Abeokuta, before becoming commissioner.
Similarly, Babaseyi received the Vanguard of Public Safety Award in recognition of his contributions to police-public communication, media engagement and public safety advocacy.
The commissioner dedicated the honours to the Inspector-General of Police and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, acknowledging their commitment and sacrifices in protecting lives and property.
The Command also commended the NUJ Ogun State Council, led by its chairman, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, for the recognition and its role in promoting constructive engagement between journalists and security institutions.
It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its relationship with the media, noting that effective policing depends not only on operational deployment but also on public trust, timely information and stakeholder engagement.
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