The South-East chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has lamented the killing of four of its members in Anambra State.
According to the Chairman of MACBAN in the region, Alhaji Gidado Sidikki, in a statement on Tuesday, the attack occurred at Ndukwenu community, in the Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.
Miyetti Allah group
The herders’ union also said 60 cows were stolen by assailants.
A group of armed men now known as ‘unknown gunmen’ have been terrorising Anambra and other states in the South-East and enforcing a sit-at-home exercise in the troubled region.
The Nigerian government and a section of the public have accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu, of being behind the killings and violence in the region, but the secessionist group has repeatedly denied the allegations.
“It has happened again, yesterday (Monday, May 30, 2022), by 7:30 PM, a group of persons well equipped with guns and matchets, raided a Fulani camp at Ndukwenu community Orumba North LGA, killing four persons and about 60 cattle were not seen.
“Our members are being innocently killed oftentimes; we don’t know our sin in Anambra State. As we appreciate the state government under Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo and security agencies, we also implore the quick intervention to stop killing our people.
“We can no longer move freely now in the state. The 4 persons killed are; Mohammed Idris, Sale Idris, Abdulmumkni Idris and Musa Idris.
“At the moment, the corpses of Mohammed Idris and Sale Idris were recovered while the other 2 persons were still missing.”
SaharaReporters on Sunday, May 8, 2022, reported how some gunmen set ablaze a truck loaded with cows along Uga-Ezinifite Road in the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
In a video shared online, an eyewitness said the truck was being driven by northerners before it was attacked by the gunmen who set it on fire.
However, no casualty was recorded in the incident, the man who made the video noted.
He had said, “Good morning everybody, unknown gunmen just attacked Hausa men carrying cows this early morning Sunday. The gunmen did not kill anyone but they injured the driver. As you can see, they have set this vehicle on fire. This is a full trailer carrying cows.
“Unknown gunmen attacked at Ezinifite road between Ezinifite and Uga. This is live, it just happened now."
The attack came exactly a month after unknown gunmen shot dead over 20 cows and several goats at the Nkwo Igboukwu market in the Aguata local government area of Anambra.
SaharaReporters had reported at the time that some residents who were thrown into a state of confusion following the incident, gathered around the dead livestock, deliberating what could have happened.
From videos shared, some of the traders were seen running, as they assumed the gunmen had returned to attack them. However, they returned when they observed their assumption was baseless.
A man had said, “People can just start running at any time. We are just being vigilant. This is happening live at Igboukwu.”