Residents of Aku in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State are filled with rage following the killing of a farmer, identified as Mr Emma Nnadi.
DAILY POST learnt that Nnadi was shot dead, weekend while trying to rescue a 13-year-old girl who was being gang-raped by Fulani herdsmen.
A community leader, Agu Chineme, who confirmed the incident in a statement he issued on Monday, said the community is indignant over the terror and brutality visited on it by the herdsmen.
According to him, though the incident happened at Ugwu-Uvuru, a farm settlement in Uzo-Uwani, a neighbouring local government area, both the girl and the deceased are from Aku in Igbo-Etiti.
He disclosed that “the 13-year-old girl, a primary school graduate, was mercilessly raped by two armed Fulani men while working on her family’s farm.
“The young victim recounted the horrific incident, with her voice trembling with fear and her body still bearing the physical scars of the assault.
“The gruesome attack claimed the life of Emma Nnadi, a brave farmer who attempted to intervene and protect the young girl from the clutches of the ruthless herders.
“The Fulani men showed no remorse as they took turns raping the girl, even as Emma lay down dead from a gunshot wound.”
He said the Aku community was demanding justice over the heinous crime, lamenting that “the Fulani herders seem to operate with impunity in the region.”
He lamented that the community had lost several vibrant men and women in the hands of the killer herdsmen.
“As tensions escalate, local leaders are calling for urgent action to address the growing menace of Fulani herder violence; they are demanding increased security measures and accountability.
“The memory of Emma Nnadi, a hero who gave his life to defend the innocent, will not be forgotten.
“His legacy will fuel the quest for peace, justice, and security in Aku, and his soul will rest in peace,” Agu further stated.
DAILY POST is awaiting a response from the spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, ASP Daniel Ndukwe.