Members of the Onolieze community in Ugwuleshi, Awgu Local Government Area in Enugu State, have raised the alarm over a growing number of killings and rapes allegedly committed by armed herders, and have asked Governor Peter Mbah to intervene to save the community.

They stated that they could no longer go to their farms or move around the community easily due to incessant attacks by armed herders.

For several hours at the weekend, the community members blocked the busy Enugu-Portharcourt Highway in protest over the killings and to call attention to the plight.

The protest, which saw them brandishing placards with various inscriptions and green leaves, followed the killing of Ogechukwu Mba by armed herders. Mba was shot and killed while trying to escape during an attack on his farm.

In a statement titled “A Clarion Call for Justice and Security in Onolieze, Enugu State”, released on Wednesday, the community also asked the federal government and the international community to intervene and address the security challenges in the area.

“For too long, the ancestral lands of Onolieze and its neighbouring villages have become a theatre of unprovoked violence. Repeated attacks by armed marauders have resulted in the senseless loss of lives, the displacement of families, and the systematic destruction of the community’s social fabric.

“The persistent insecurity has forced a productive, agrarian population into a state of paralysed fear. Farmers, who are the backbone of the local economy, can no longer cultivate their lands without the looming shadow of death. This is more than a security breach; it is an assault on the dignity, safety, and fundamental right to life of peaceful citizens.

“Sustained outrage alone will not shield our people. We require a transition from communal grief to state-led protection,” the stakeholders stated. The silence of the hills in Awgu must no longer be broken by the cries of the bereaved”, the stakeholders stated

While the community expressed commitment to disciplined unity and lawful engagement, they added that the limits of civilian resilience have been reached.

“We formally call upon His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, and the Federal Security apparatus to implement the following: rapid reinforcement of security personnel in affected zones to deter ongoing incursions; a robust, community-integrated intelligence framework to preempt attacks before they manifest; and the urgent establishment of a Mini-Army Barracks or a Full Police Division within the Onolieze axis to provide a permanent deterrent and restore public confidence, so that displaced farmers may return to their ancestral vocation without fear of slaughter.”

They paid tribute to several members of the community who were killed by marauding herders while defending their farmlands and homes, saying their courage forms the foundation of their current resilience.

“Onolieze must not stand alone in this dark hour. We urge all citizens to remain calm and vigilant, eschewing inflammatory rhetoric in favour of strategic, coordinated efforts. We believe that through decisive government intervention and the strength of our collective will, peace and stability will be restored to the good people of Ugwuleshi”, they added. (Guardian)