Suspected Fulani herdsmen, on Thursday morning, carried out another attack in Enugu state, storming Ndiagu Attakwu community, in Nkanu West Local Government Area, killing a seminarian of the Catholic Church and wounded several others.
This attack is coming barely four months after a similar attack on Nimbo community left several persons dead.
Reports revealed that the armed herdsmen stormed the community at about 2 a:m, and butchered every person in one of the compounds and escaped after alarm was raised.
The traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness, Igwe Greg Ugwu, who spoke to journalists on the incident, said he was shocked that such horror was visited on his people without any form of provocation.
"There was no issue at all between them and my people. The only thing I heard is that they entered into the heart of the community Wednesday afternoon and a woman sounded a gong, after which the cows scattered; they got the cows together and left only to return in the night", he stated.
It was gathered that the herdsmen entered the residence of the victims by climbing through the roof.
"As soon as they got it, they started butchering the occupants; the seminarian died instantly; another person had her intestines ripped off; four of the victims are battling for survival as we speak", a community source disclosed.
The seminarian, identified as Lazarus Nwafor, an indigene of Orlu in Imo State, was said to have returned from his Apostolic work on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking to journalists on the incident, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Calistus Onaga described the incident as a provocation too many.
He said: "few weeks ago, both the clergy and the laity gathered and showed their anger over the activities of these Fulani herdsmen; we were able to calm people down; we said let us give government a chance; but you can see the climax, a student has just been butchered; it looks like we are being targeted every year, we are being attacked.
"The government should do something about this; it is very painful; it is very sad. This is not the way to do things; all of a sudden these people have assumed another efrontery, they have assumed another boldness, they have assumed another attitude.
"If they cannot live with us together, let them quietly go; this is our land, we cannot pack out of this place.
"We are pleading with all the security agencies to look into this because at a time, people may not hold their patience again, there may be free range of anger and violence.
"Of course we are not prone to violence but at a time we can really be stretched so much that we will have no option than to defend ourselves. Life has been lost and to replace it is impossible.
"So, we are really sad; we are really in pain and I need to really summon the courage to address the Catholic Faithful on what happened; how would I explain it?"
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