FULANI HERDSMEN THREATEN TO ATTACK ABIA VILLAGE

Residents of Okporenyi village in the Bende Local
Government Area of Abia State have been living in fear of
possible attack by Fulani herdsmen following a face-off
between the community and the cattle rearers.
The Fulani herdsmen were said to have threatened to
attack the community if the people failed to produce the
cows allegedly stolen by the villagers.
According to a member of the village, trouble started on
Christmas Eve when a group of herdsmen suddenly
emerged in the village, threatening to attack the villagers if
they could not produce their missing cows.
According to the source, farmlands in the village have come
under incessant attacks by cows belonging to the Fulani
herdsmen but that complaints by the villagers had fallen on
deaf ears.
The source further said that the herdsmen later came to
the village in company with some policemen, alleging that
they were searching for one of their cattle rearers, said to
be a little boy.
Continuing, the source said an attempt by one of the
villagers, simply identified as Onyi, to exonerate the village
from any involvement in the whereabouts of the allegedly
missing boy earned him the wrath of one of the herdsmen
who dealt him a machete cut in the upper arm.
He said the villagers had been living in fear of imminent
raid by the herdsmen who had attacked some communities
in the Middle Belt as well as part of Enugu State in recent
times over grazing land.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Abia
State command, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the
incident but said, "Police are on top of the situation."
The PPRO said talks had been initiated with both parties
with a view to resolving the face- off. He assured the
villagers of full protection of their lives and property but
advised them not to take the laws into their hands.
Meanwhile, two policemen in Adamawa State have been
arrested for allegedly killing two young Fulani herdsmen in
the state.
A police source said the two policemen were arrested
following an alleged murder of two Fulani youths in the
Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa State as a
result of an argument over N50 bribe.