Grief has once again descended on Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State following the brutal murder of a 90-year-old man and his wife by unknown assailants.
The tragic incident occurred last Wednesday night at Ekwuru village, where the elderly couple, identified as Elder and Mrs. Otiakugwu, were attacked and killed in their shanty home while having their evening meal.
Community sources revealed that the victims, both of whom had lived alone for years with only occasional visits from a grandchild, were targeted in a silent but savage assault. The assailants reportedly left the blood-soaked machete used in the attack on the lifeless bodies before fleeing into the darkness.
A correspondent from National Post who visited the area observed a heavy atmosphere of mourning, with residents gathering in clusters, visibly shaken and struggling to understand the motive behind the gruesome killing of the harmless couple.
Residents fear this attack is another grim chapter in the unrelenting wave of violence linked to suspected Fulani herdsmen, who have allegedly terrorized the agrarian community since the infamous 2016 massacre in Nimbo.
“We have lived in fear ever since,” a local said. “These herders kill, rape, maim, and destroy our farms. They ambush traders on the Nsukka-Ogurugu-Adani road and uproot our cassava to feed their cattle.”
Recent attacks in the area include the killing of a forest guard, Simon Odenigbo, during a patrol, and the alleged murders of two Enugu State Transport Company (ENTRACO) drivers, Ejima Ifeanyi and Emma Nweze, both from the same village. A young man popularly known as Nwa Black was also reportedly murdered at Opanda/Nimbo.
Confirming the growing insecurity, the President General of Nimbo community, Hon. David Utazi, decried the relentless invasion of their farmlands and the terror inflicted by armed herdsmen.
“Nimbo is under siege. The herdsmen destroy our crops, rape our women, and kill with impunity. We urgently call on the federal and state governments to revisit the promise of a Quick Response Police Unit approved by former IGP Solomon Arase after the 2016 massacre,” Utazi stated.
He noted that Nimbo borders several vulnerable communities including Adani, Abbi, Ughene Ajima, and Nkpologwu, adding that the expansive land between Nimbo, Odoru, and Ida remains largely ungoverned and exposed to criminal activity.
In a reassuring statement, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani LGA, Hon. Chijioke Ezugwu, confirmed that a suspect in the murder of the nonagenarian and his wife has been arrested and is currently in police custody for investigation.
“We are on top of the matter and will not relent in our determination to make Uzo-Uwani a safe place for all,” the chairman affirmed.
This latest violence has reignited calls for urgent government intervention and enhanced security presence in Nimbo and other vulnerable communities within Uzo-Uwani LGA.
