
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen launched a deadly attack on the Amegu Nkalagha community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, leaving several people dead and properties destroyed.
The assailants reportedly stormed the community on Sunday morning, setting numerous buildings ablaze and causing widespread devastation. Among the casualties was a pastor from a local Pentecostal church, according to eyewitness reports.
Sources suggest the attack may have been a retaliatory response to the alleged killing of cattle belonging to herders in the area. However, a local resident, who chose to remain anonymous, denied any community involvement in the incident.
“We did not kill their cows. The cows were killed by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the forest,” the source stated.
A community leader, Professor Ndubuisi Idenyi, confirmed the scale of the tragedy, noting that bodies were still being recovered, especially from nearby farmlands.
“I don’t have the exact number of casualties yet. We are still tracking and bringing out the dead bodies,” he told reporters.
The Chairperson of Ishielu Local Government Area, Ifeoma Peace Agwu, also confirmed the attack but refrained from providing further details.
“We are currently taking the victims’ bodies to the mortuary. I cannot say much now, but we will provide more details later,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, claimed he had not been briefed about the incident when contacted.
The attack has sparked fear and heightened tensions in the region, with residents calling for urgent government intervention to prevent further violence.