Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Residents of Onolieze community in Ugwuleshi, located in the Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have publicly appealed to the state and federal governments for urgent intervention following a sharp increase in violent attacks allegedly perpetrated by armed herders on local farmers and villagers.
According to local eyewitnesses and community statements released this week, the Onolieze area has seen repeated killings, assaults, and threats that have paralyzed normal life, leaving residents afraid to tend to their farms or move freely within the locality. Farmers and community stakeholders say the escalation of unprovoked attacks has disrupted agricultural work — the backbone of the local economy — and eroded the community’s collective sense of security. This aligns with concerns reported from multiple social media updates and news outlets monitoring developments in the region.
The immediate trigger for recent public outcry was the killing of a man named Ogechukwu Mba, who was reportedly shot while attempting to escape an attack on his farmland. Grieving residents and family members described his death as one of several violent incidents that have occurred in recent months, heightening fear and frustration among farming families.
In response, community members staged a demonstration over the weekend, blocking the busy Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway for several hours to draw attention to their plight. Protesters carried placards and green leaves — locally recognised symbols of peaceful protest and appeal — to signal their distress and call for government action.
“A Clarion Call for Justice and Security in Onolieze, Enugu State,” a statement released by community leaders on Wednesday, outlined the residents’ demands and described the toll of the insecurity on livelihoods and social stability. The statement detailed how repeated attacks have led to loss of life, displacement of families, and erosion of trust in basic safety structures. Quote excerpts shared online emphasised that the attacks represent “an assault on the dignity, safety, and fundamental right to life of peaceful citizens.”
The community’s appeal asks Governor Peter Mbah and federal security agencies to deploy additional security personnel to the affected area to deter further attacks. They also called for the creation of a community-based intelligence framework to help pre-empt violence and for the establishment of a permanent security installation — either a police divisional headquarters or a mini military barracks — in Onolieze to reassure residents and enable displaced farmers to return safely to their farms.
Community leaders stressed their commitment to unity and lawful engagement, while warning that the limits of civilian endurance have been reached and that insecurity now threatens the cohesion of the community. They described past defenders of their land who lost their lives as embodiments of Onolieze’s resilience and called for calm and vigilance as they await decisive government action.
The protest and statement from Onolieze fit within a broader pattern of farmer–herder tensions documented across different parts of southern Nigeria. While these conflicts historically centered on land use and resource competition in the Middle Belt, clashes involving herding groups have increasingly been reported in southeastern states as rural communities disclose attacks, abductions, and killings attributed to armed pastoralists.
There are also indications that previous similar tensions in the Awgu region have stirred public outcry in the past, including protests by women and other community members over herdsmen’s alleged destruction of farmland and harm to residents.
Local social media posts and eyewitness accounts describe an atmosphere of anxiety in Onolieze and surrounding settlements, with some residents alleging that attacks involve machetes and firearms, and that women and other vulnerable persons have been targeted in separate instances. These accounts, while not yet officially corroborated by security agencies, show a community mobilising to make its grievances visible to state and national authorities as well as to the wider public.
As of the latest reports, no formal official response from the Enugu State Government or national security agencies addressing the specific demands of the Onolieze community had been published, leaving residents and observers awaiting announcements on security reinforcements or plans for increased patrols and protective measures.
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