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Nimbo Killing: Community Seeks N17b Compensation

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SUSPECTED HERDSMEN WHO ATTACKED NIMBO COMMUNITY
SUSPECTED HERDSMEN WHO ATTACKED NIMBO COMMUNITY

By Ogbonna Casmir, Enugu

The people of Nimbo in Uzo Uwani local government area of Enugu State want a N17 billion compensation from the Federal Government following the invasion of the community by suspected herdsmen.

Testifying on Wednesday at the panel of inquiry the state government setup to look into the incidence, the traditional ruler of the community, Chief John Akor said that the sum would be a recompense for the ills suffered by members of the community.

According to him, “Our community demands a compensation of N17 billion for human loses, unlawful destruction of properties and criminal deprivation of use of our farms for over two decades”.

The monarch said that the community also needed a traumatic hospital to rehabilitate victims of the prolonged herdsmen incursions.

Akor said that a total of 11 persons lost their lives during the April 25 invasion while several others were injured, adding that the corpses were still at the morgues.

He said: “The conclusive evidence of deaths recorded during the incursion stands at 11. The economy of our community has been ruined.

“Part of our prayers is for a combined team of police, DSS and the military to investigate why the invasion was not contained in spite of prior information to the effect.

“We equally request the Federal Government to establish security presence in Nimbo being a boarder community,” he said.

Akor said that as a traditional ruler he never collected any form of gratification from the herdsmen to allow them graze in the community.

The traditional ruler said that the economy of the rural community had been shattered following the activities of the herdsmen.

Also testifying, the President General of Nimbo Town Union, Mr Ekere Matthias said that the community had coexisted peacefully with the herdsmen for over 30 years.

Matthias said that from the onset different cattle breeders resided in their community, “and our people insisted that each group must have identification mark.

“When the arrangement of cattle identification was not working, the herdsmen had to relocate but came back in 2003.

“After they returned, our relationship with them became like that of cat and mouse, the herdsmen being the cat and our people being the mouse.

“Our people were always intimidated because the herdsmen came with sophisticated weapons, order farmers to kneel down and match their cows to graze on cash crops,” Ekere said.

Ekere further stated that at their return, the herdsmen did not come with their wives and families, but entered the community through Kogi State.

He said that from their experiences members of the community were still in fear and would no longer want herdsmen in their community.

“Our men were traumatized as our wives were raped in our presence.
From our soured relationship, we don’t want them again in our land. They should find another place to graze their cattle,” he said.

Prior to the commencement of the sitting, the Chief Legal Officer of the panel, Mr Richard Udeichi announced that the Fulani community would be present on June 27.

“The Fulani community informed me that they will come on June 27 due to their ongoing Ramadan,” Udeichi said.

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