Fear has gripped residents of Amakohia-Ubi, in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, following a violent clash between herdsmen and local vigilante operatives on Wednesday evening.
The confrontation, which occurred around 6:30 pm, reportedly left one vigilante, Monday Nwaozuzu (popularly known as Ojo Ola), dead, another injured, and a third missing.
Community sources told journalists that the clash began when vigilantes attempted to stop the herders from invading farmlands near the community’s college.
“It’s routine for our vigilantes to guard our farms. That day, they asked the herdsmen to turn back, but they refused. Unknown to them, the herders were armed. They opened fire, killing Ojo Ola and wounding another,” a resident said.
Search efforts have continued for the missing vigilante, but locals fear he may have been abducted.
“We searched the bushes all night. This morning, when his phone was called, one of the herdsmen answered. We don’t know if he has been killed or kidnapped,” another source revealed.
The incident has deepened anxiety in the area, coming barely weeks after a similar attack on August 20, 2025, in which three residents were killed, several injured, and two abducted.
Police operatives were said to have visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment. Authorities have appealed for calm, but many frightened residents have already fled to neighbouring towns.
