The Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Nweze Umahi has condemned Monday’s massacre of multiple number of people of Egedegede in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the State by suspected Fulani herdsmen describing the killings as “senseless”.
The Governor made the condemnation when he visited the affected communities to ascertain the level of the carnage.
The attack which allegedly occured on Monday night led to the death of at least 15 residents of Nkalaha, Obegu, Amazu, Nkalagu and Umuhuali autonomous Communities.
Governor Umahi experessed sadness over the gruesome murder of the defenseless natives by the marauding herders and charged Security Agencies to unravel the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice. His words:
“I got a very shocking news this afternoon about the attack on about four communities of Nkalaha, Obegu, Amaezu and Umuhuali in the Ishielu local government area of the state by AK-47 wielding herdsmen that came yesterday and killed 15 of members of these communities.
“I remembered that about a year ago, we had incident of killing of two herdsmen within this same location and immediately the security agencies, the local government Chairman and the community leaders all came together to condemn the attack and the killing and we immediately asked the security agencies to fish out the people that did that and they did fish them out and as we talk, they are standing trial in Ebonyi state and the community and security agencies made peace with them.
“And so, it is very shocking that overnight, all the herdsmen in Ishielu local government vaccated the council area which means that the local herdsmen in Ishielu are part of the conspiracy in killing of our people. They vacated despite all efforts my government, the governors of south east and security agencies have been making to protect them.
“We feel so sad that this kind of thing should happen in Ebonyi state, we feel so worried for our country Nigeria and we are short of words.
“Good enough, we have some traces of the sponsors, we have the traces of those who came here. I will not disclose it but I am going to escalate the identities of the people to the highest authorities and we wait to see what they will do but we condemn this attack, it is not only happening in Ebonyi state. If it is allowed to go this way, it is capable of generating very serious civil war among the nation of Nigeria.”
Governor Umahi also appealled to the natives to remain calm and shun reprisal attacks while security agencies swing into action to apprehend the culprits.
“I want to demand from the Security Chiefs to fish out this people because they are well known, they should fish them out let them face the wrath of the law. It has happened in so many places and they were not fished out and that’s why this kind of thing is happening.
“I want to appeal to these communities to be assured that we will get them. We have their identities, we have their connections, we have the contact. Please stay calm, don’t take laws into your hands, two wrong can never make a right so that you give us the opportunity to fish them out.”
