The death toll from the invasion of Amagu and two other villages in the Nkalaha community of Ishielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, by suspected Fulani herdsmen has risen to 15, with many more people still missing.
The suspected armed herdsmen attacked the community on Sunday morning, killing 10 people and setting homes on fire.
However, recent reports indicate that more bodies have been recovered from the surrounding bushes, while several villagers remain unaccounted for.
Princess Patricia Obila, the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, who visited the affected area on Tuesday, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the state’s security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the killings of innocent citizens in the three villages of the Nkalaha community.
Princess Obila, who represented Governor Francis Nwifuru, said the state government was very shocked and saddened over the incident.
She said, “No government is happy to see their citizens being killed in a bloody manner. This is a horrific scene to behold. If you look at those corpses, they are a younger generation that were lost.
“What happens to their children and what happens to their families? Why do you terminate lives that you can’t create? It is too bad. I’m sounding a warning to all the youth leaders of this community. All of you should sit up, I didn’t say that you should sit up to go and fight but to make peace and love in harmony.
”Many people died for not knowing what was happening. I’m telling you the truth. Many of the corpses lying there did not know what was happening.
“I am giving this community three days to go into fasting and prayers, for God to come and sanctify this community. There is nothing that God cannot do.”
She thanked the security agencies in the state for their efforts, noting that without their intervention, the casualty would have been more than the figure seen, saying, “The killers must be brought to book. I order you to fish them (the killers) out within 24 hours.”
The traditional ruler of Nkalaha community, Igwe Thompson Ebe, said, “I had written a report to the governor and copied security agencies, because the problem started on January 20, up till January 31, 2025.
“We have continued to mediate between the Agila in Benue State and the Fulani herdsmen. I even invited them to my house in Abakaliki to talk to them about their cows that were allegedly killed. We have even made some arrests to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended. As we are still talking, this ugly incident of killings took place on Sunday.
“The herdsmen attacked a total of three villages; Amagu, Amaokwe and Umunesha. We are still recovering the bodies of the casualties. Now, the number has increased to 15, and we are looking for two others.”
