The many indigenes of Eha-Amufu, a border town in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, have denied reports of recent mass killings and arson in their communities.
A r*pe victim, Mrs. Amarachi Nnaji, also refuted claims that she had died, stating that while the incident was tragic, she was recovering and moving forward with her life.
Community leaders spoke to journalists on a fact-finding mission following viral videos of protests and counter-protests regarding alleged killings and destruction in Eha-Amufu.
President-General of Mgbuji Eha-Amufu, Donatus Odoh, acknowledged past attacks by suspected herders, particularly in 2022 before the Peter Mbah administration, which resulted in significant casualties and displacement. However, he debunked claims of recent mass killings.
“I saw a video claiming that 100 or 200 people were recently killed in Eha-Amufu, but nothing like that happened. I don’t know where people are getting this information from,” Odoh stated.
He confirmed that an incident occurred in another autonomous community in February, where one Igwurube Ndubuisi Donatus was killed, but he could not provide further details.
Addressing claims about the r*pe victim, Odoh said, “She is alive. I saw her riding a bike from the market just the other day. The government also intervened in her medical treatment.”
Another community leader, Chief Richard Ogenyi, corroborated the statement, asserting that security in Eha-Amufu had significantly improved since the 2022 attacks, thanks to interventions by the state and local governments.
“There have been isolated incidents, but the recent social media claims of mass killings and arson are false. The women’s protest helped create awareness, but unfortunately, politics was involved,” Ogenyi said.
Mrs. Amarachi Nnaji, from Abor Eha-Amufu, recounted her ordeal, refuting reports that a stick was inserted into her or that she had died.
“They tore my clothes and dragged me into a cassava farm, but I fought back as much as I could,” she recounted.
Council Chairman Barr. Obiora Obeagu acknowledged security challenges but refuted claims of recent killings. He noted that since Governor Mbah’s administration took office in 2023, several security and infrastructural measures had been implemented to prevent a repeat of the 2022 attacks. These include:
Deployment of over 150 soldiers, Special Forces, Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), and gun trucks.
Plans for a military barracks in the border community.
Construction of the 21.7km Agape-Agu Mgbuji-Ogbete asphalt road to improve security and access to farmlands.
Obeagu blamed misinformation and political motives for the protests, stating that some protesters exaggerated figures without providing evidence.
“This was not a spontaneous protest. It was orchestrated. In one video, someone was hyping the situation, claiming that 200 people were killed last week and 100 this week—yet there was no proof. The images they used were from incidents that happened years ago,” he said.
He urged the public to verify facts, adding, “If these killings happened, let anyone take you to the locations. I can bet no one will show you any.”
