- Fulani herdsmen allegedly invaded Nimbo, Enugu state on April 15, 2016, killings scores over grazing land
- 8 years after protest rocks community as state govt allegedly planned to establish RUGA in the area
- State government confirms the report, says it will be controlled by its agencies
In the early hours of April 26, 2016, Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state was invaded by tens of Fulani herdsmen.
At the end of the invasion which was later termed as Nimbo massacre, more than a dozen persons were killed.
Nimbo is a border town in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu state where seven villages- Ekwuru, Nimbo-Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ebor, Enugu-Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara were invaded, and scores massacred by over 500 armed Fulani herdsmen rated the fourth deadliest terror group in the world,in the early hours of April 25, 2016.
In any case, Uzo-Uwani has boundaries with the Southern States of Ebonyi and Anambra and Central States of Benue and Kogi, where these attacks have increased lately.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the herdsmen, who reportedly were bent on occupying a portion of the farming community’s land for cattle grazing plotted attack, and went on to notify the natives about their invasion on April 23, 2016.
The intelligence was promptly reported to security agencies who met accordingly. However, at about 5.15 am on April 25, 2016, the armed herdsmen numbering over 500 struck killing 40 people.
The following day, April 26, 2016, six more bodies were recovered and 14 victims were lying critically ill at Royal Cross Hospital, Nsukka, District General Hospital and Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka.
Our reporter equally learnt that during the raid, a church, known as Christ Holy Church International (AKA Odozi-Obodo), at Onu-Eke, and 11 houses were burnt by the marauders.
As a result of the insecurity, displaced natives fled to neighboring communities of Nkpologu and Uvuru, even as indigenes of those communities also fled to Nsukka in fear of further attacks.
Compromised Security
According to the then Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the terrorism at Nimbo may have happened due to inability of security agencies to successfully act on the counter intelligence report about herdsmen grouping at neighbouring Odolu in Kogi state in preparation for attack.
Igbo social cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo whilst expressing disappointment at the seemingly security lapses which led to the terror attack and likelihood of another attack, asked the government to carry out thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice and forestall further occurrences.
The body also said “Imeobi views with grave concern and unequivocally, condemns the recent slaughter by Fulani herdsmen of our defenceless kith and kin in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.”
Government’s Alleged Plan To Establish Cattle Ranch For Herders, Nearly 8 Years After Massacre
In any case, it is almost eight years after the infamous Nimbo Massacre that shook the entire South East in 2016.
However, when WITHIN NIGERIA reporter visited the community, there was no visibly presence of security agents in the area to wade off possible attack s by Fulani herdsmen.
Our reporter gathered that aside the presence local security outfit popularly known as Neighbourhood Watch at Eke Nimbo market square, the community is currently at the mercy of Fulani herdsmen.
Army personnel who were at the area some months ago have been tactically withdrawn by the Nigerian Army.
WITHIN NIGERIA also gathered that some vandalized churches like Odoziobodo have been reconstructed and refurbished.
In a nutshell, the community has gradually returned its pre-massacre era except for flashes of security challenges in the area every now and then in recent times.
In any case, on February 9, ,hundreds of community dwellers staged a peaceful protest against the state government’s alleged plan to establish a cattle ranch for herdsmen in their community.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that among the protesters were people widowed or orphaned by the killing of 40 residents of the community by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on April 26, 2016, during the invidious massacre.
Our reporter gathered that the community held the protest on Tuesday along the Nsukka – Uzo-Uwani – Anambra Federal Highway, blocking the road and calling on the government to shelve the planned RUGA establishment.
The residents were wielding placards with several inscriptions like, “Nimbo doesn’t want cattle, doesn’t want ranching.” ‘Nimbo Community Says No To Cattle Ranch In Their Land QED.’
One of the residents of the community, Joseph Ogbobe told WITHIN NIGERIA o that protests in Nimbo followed an alleged plan by the state government to establish a ranch where the town shares a border with Kogi State.
According to Mr. Ogbobe, “The plan followed a government inspection team to the area, nearly eight years after the April 25, 2016 Nimbo Massacre, during which armed Fulani herders murdered 40 indigenes of our town.
“The incident followed farmer-herder clashes in the general area where the RUGA (Rural Grazing Areas) settlement is allegedly being planned to be sited. We can never allow such things to happen in our community.”
Narrating further, Mr. Ogbobe told our reporter that “ after this protest, the youths are also planning to engage in further security checks and inspection in the community. If we notice any security issue, we will deal with it immediately. We expected government to establish schools, hospitals and other developmental projects but what we hear now is a different thing altogether. We cant accept such a thing like RUGA or ranching in our community.”
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that RUGA is an initiative of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to address the herders-farmers’ clashes in the country but it was rejected in most of the southern states.
Efforts to speak with the President General of Nimbo Town Union, Clement Akogwu, were unsuccessful.
Enugu state government reaction to the protest
But reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on mainstream media, Dan Nwomeh, insisted that there was no such RUGA plan by the State Government, adding that ranching would end the intractable crisis between herders and farmers.
He however stated that there is a proposal to establish government owned and controlled ranches in local government areas where cases of farmers/herders crisis were rampant.
According to Nwomeh, “there’s no such RUGA plan please. There’s a state government initiative, a proposal really, to establish government owned and controlled ranches in local governments with the worst cases of herders/farmers clashes such as Uzo Uwani, Isi Uzo and Oji River.
“The locations are still being considered. Government will seek the buy-in of the host communities. No government team has visited any proposed site.
“The ranches will be open to all commercial cattle rearers and not just an ethnic group. Ranching is the global best practice that will end open grazing and clashes with farmers”.
