There was pandemonium in Enugwu Ukwu, a Christian community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State when armed herdsmen suspected to be from the Fulani ethnic group invaded the community, killed residents, and set their homes ablaze.

According to survivors, no fewer than 17 people were feared dead after the incident that happened in the early hours of the morning. Eight houses were destroyed, while many people were said to have escaped with varying degrees of injuries. Many survivors had also fled the community for fear of further attacks.

Confirming the incident to newsmen in Awka, the Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Echeng Echeng, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the attack, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He said, “The command has deployed two units of mobile policemen and other regular policemen to the area. We are working in conjunction with other security agencies in the operation. Sadly, lives were lost but we are on top of the situation and I can assure you that normalcy will soon return to the place.”

When asked whether any arrest had been made, Ikenga declined to answer the question saying it could jeopardise ongoing investigations. However, he noted that the outcome of the investigation would be made public at the appropriate time.

Speaking with The Guardian, one of the victims of the attack, Mr Obinwanne Nwangwu, whose house was set ablaze said the assailants attacked his compound around 1 a.m., pulled down the gates, and set his house on fire without any provocation.

According to him, the armed herdsmen were suspected to have entered the community through a farm settlement in the area around midnight and started killing people, burning houses, and raping women.

“They came to our gate and started shooting and pulling the gate till they brought it down. We were all scared and I couldn’t come out. The next thing we heard was their shout, ‘You useless Igbo Christians will all die today.’

“They started shooting at our front door to bring it down but with the help of God, I and my family members escaped through the backyard and fled through the fence. Our house was set ablaze and all our properties were destroyed. I am devastated as I speak but I thank God for life.

“I have been asking myself, why me? This is because I witnessed a similar incident when I was in Plateau State in the Northern part of Nigeria. Just one night, armed Fulani herders attacked our homes, killed six residents, and set our homes on fire I had to relocate to the East and now the same thing is happening again. It’s more devastating that the victims were all Christians,” Nwangwu said.

Another victim who pleaded anonymity, said about 30 people were left with varying degrees of injuries, adding that six people among the dead victims were beheaded.

It has become common in Nigeria to wake up to the news of attacks on Christian communities by armed herders suspected to be of Fulani origin.

Most of these herders lead their herds into people’s farmlands feed the crops to their animals and attack the owners whenever they resist. The herders who are believed to be jihadists attack Christian communities.

After such attacks, what the victims usually get are promises from the Police Force to investigate the incidents but nothing happens afterward as there are no reports of the arrest of culprits.

The herders who have been barned from openly grazing their herds on open fields and on people’s farms now seem to be above the law as they continue to graze their livestock in the open. It is believed that nothing happens because the President of the country, Muhammad Buhari is a Muslim from Northern Nigeria and a Fulani man.

It would be recalled that in Ondo State, no fewer than three persons were reportedly shot dead by suspected Fulani herdsmen who invaded Molege Village in Ose Council Area of the state.

Several houses were razed along Elerinla near Arimogija by the rampaging herders who were angry that the villagers prevented their cows from feeding on their farmlands.

Also, about 15 persons were killed in an attack in the Bwai and Chisu communities of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State by armed herdsmen.