By Phil Okose, Onitsha
Arrangements are said to be on top gear by the people of Akama-Oyaa community, Eziagu Local Government Area, Enugu State, to drag Miyetti Allah and the police to court over alleged constant killings, destruction of farm produce, assault on the people, kidnapping, among others by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the community.
Making this disclosure to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, weekend, an indigene of Akama-Oyaa community and victim of the herdsmen attack who simply identified himself as John Onyeka, said that youths of the community had deserted their ancestral home to avoid being victims of the herdsmen.
He lamented that the Akama Police were not helping matters as they allegedly kept deaf ears to repeated reports to them on the attack being perpetrated by the herdsmen, adding that it was the reason the community also joined the police in the suit against Miyetti Allah, leadership of the herdsmen nationwide
His words: “Because of the constant killings, assault, destruction and manhunt for the youths, the likes of Mmadubuko Augustine, and many others have fled the community to save their lives from the herdsmen attack.
“Mmadubuko Augustine’s trouble started when he reported destruction of his father’s farmland with cows by Fulani herdsmen. He went and reported the matter to Akama-Oyaa Police station and the police promised to investigate the matter but didn’t do anything.
“His father was beaten to coma and the son ran away but was later arrested by the Miyetti Allah for reporting the matter to the police which resulted in the arrest of two herdsmen and some cows. The group through their chairman, one Mohammed, threatened to kill Mmadubuko Augustine and out of fear, on April 19, 2023, he fled the community.
“Also, Mrs Emenike Amaka was killed by the suspected herdsmen because she used stick to chase away the cows that invaded her farm and ate up the farm produce and the police at Akama-Oyaa where the complaint was lodged, did nothing,” he alleged.
He said the herdsmen and their Miyetti Allah leadership as well as the police would meet them in court to explain why they had continued to attack the rural people, regretting that the police did nothing despite repeated complaints to them.
