Nimbo community, in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State is in deep sorrow following the reported killing of a nonagenarian and his wife.
Sources hinted that the couple were murdered last Wednesday at their shanty home in Ekwuru village, Nimbo community by assailants who operated under the cover of the night.
The victims’ names were given as Elder and Mrs Otiakugwu.
He was the second eldest man in the entire Nimbo community.
Sources close to the community said that the couple had lived alone in the village for ages as their children were all out to cities for greener pastures, explaining that the deceased couple had a grandchild who lived with them, but had just returned to school.
According to the source, “the assailants entered Ekwuru village of Nimbo unnoticed, met the nonagenarian and his wife eating, attacked and killed the two, dropped their blood-soaked machete on their body and fled under the cover of the night.”
When our correspondent visited the village, residents stood in pairs and groups wailing, wondering why the old man and his wife were murdered in such a gruesome manner.
A resident told our correspondent that, “since after the 2016 Nimbo killings, where many indigenes were killed, the community has remained under siege of Fulani herdsmen who kill, rape both old and young, maim, uproot cassava to feed cattles and rob unsuspecting traders along Nsukka/Ogurugu/ Adani road intermittently.”
Just recently in the community, a forest guard operative was killed in the forest while combing the forest with two others over destruction of farmlands.
Also two drivers with the Enugu State Transport Company, ENTRACO, were also reportedly killed at different locations of Adam community in the locality.
The forest guard, operative simply identified as Simon Odenigbo, was killed two weeks ago, while the ENTRACO drivers Ejima Ifeanyi and Emma Nweze were allegedly killed at different locations.
Both drivers hailed from the same village.
Also at Opanda/Nimbo, another young man popularly called Nwa Black was equally killed.
Contacted, the President General of Nimbo community, Uzo-Uwani LGA, Hon. David Utazi said there has been heightened tension in the community over frequent invasion by Fulani herdsmen.
"We never enjoy convivial atmosphere as Fulani unleash mayhem at intervals, destroy crops, uproot cassava, yam and rape, maim unsuspecting victims of the community.
"Nimbo community is boarded in the north by Adani, in the East by Abbi, Ughene Ajima and in the south by Nkpologwu communities.
“The herdsmen/militia treks through Odoru Nsukka LGA to Nimbo. The land between Ida, Odoru and Nimbo is too large to contain two or more federal establishments.
"We appeal to both federal and state governments to come to our aid and consider establishing the earlier approved police quick intervention camp at Nkpologwu, by the former Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase when he visited the Nimbo community in the 2016 massacre.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of Uzo-Uwani local government area, Chijioke Ezugwu, who spoke on phone, said that the killer of the nonagenarian and wife had been arrested and handed over to the police for thorough investigations.
“We are on top of the matter and would not renege in our efforts to make the local government area a safe place for residents and visitors alike," he said.