Eha Amufu Crisis: Outstanding Interventions by Governor Ugwuanyi, Challenges, By Levi Odoh
Reports indicate that the conflicts that have caused the death of people from both sides began more than 15 years ago before the establishment of the current regimes in Enugu and Benue States and continued into due to dangerous policies, disunity and lack of definition. leadership among residents of the four affected communities in Eha Amufu - Mgbuji, Agu-Amede, Umujiovu and Ebor - which border with the Agala community in Benue State.
This was recently confirmed by Eha Amufu stakeholders during an emergency security meeting with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
This insincerity has frustrated Enugu State Governor Ugwuanyi's concerted efforts to decisively address the challenges in Eha Amufu.
It was reported in national dailies that the majority of Eha Amufu stakeholders who spoke at the meeting blamed leadership gaps, divisiveness, dangerous politics practiced within their people and an attempt by some Fulani herders to "acquire, annex and intimidate people into occupying their land" as responsible for the killings in the area.
Stakeholders of Eha Amufu, according to national daily reports, also alleged that Fulani herders have always collaborated with some Benue to attack their communities in order to acquire spaces to settle.
There have also been accusations and counter-accusations among stakeholders regarding the allegation that some people from the Mgbuji community, years ago, sold some of the land in the village to Fulani herders who reside with them, which some factions among the villagers are resisting.
It was revealed at the meeting that while the land was allegedly being sold to the herders, another group organized and felled the economic trees in the village for personal monetary gain. Allegations have been made that around N50 million from the sale of the community-owned economic trees have been misappropriated. The factional group used some of the disputed money to buy out some young people to protect them and their business and political interests.
As reported in the Thisday newspaper of December 22, 2022, page 42, “In their separate responses (at said meeting), Bishop Olinya (Bishop of Eha Amufu Diocese, Anglican Communion), among others, said that one of the issues fueling the crisis was the lack of clear leadership in the city and the politicization of issues by politicians.”
Also during the meeting, some of the stakeholders were candid in that they accepted having let God and Governor Ugwuanyi down by the failure of their people to comply with the various resolution mechanisms devised at various peace meetings around the state, asking that the community should go and apologize to the governor for failing them and the state.
A bizarre act that has left many in suspense is the fact that this is the first time that Benue residents are allegedly aiding or associating with Fulani herders to carry out attacks on Benue residents. a neighboring state. Benue locals and Fulani herders have engaged in dog and cat fights over the years. Benue State has border issues with Enugu State in this attacked area.
Besides the allegations that these attacks on the Eha Amufu communities were retaliation, the truth must be told that both sides, the Fulani herders and the Eha Amufu, have on different occasions attacked and killed each other.
Reports indicate that the conflicts that have caused the death of people from both sides began more than 15 years ago before the establishment of the current regimes in Enugu and Benue States and continued into due to dangerous policies, disunity and lack of definition. leadership among residents of the four affected communities in Eha Amufu - Mgbuji, Agu-Amede, Umujiovu and Ebor - which border with the Agala community in Benue State.
This was recently confirmed by Eha Amufu stakeholders during an emergency security meeting with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
This insincerity has frustrated Enugu State Governor Ugwuanyi's concerted efforts to decisively address the challenges in Eha Amufu.
It was reported in national dailies that the majority of Eha Amufu stakeholders who spoke at the meeting blamed leadership gaps, divisiveness, dangerous politics practiced within their people and an attempt by some Fulani herders to "acquire, annex and intimidate people into occupying their land" as responsible for the killings in the area.
Stakeholders of Eha Amufu, according to national daily reports, also alleged that Fulani herders have always collaborated with some Benue to attack their communities in order to acquire spaces to settle.
There have also been accusations and counter-accusations among stakeholders regarding the allegation that some people from the Mgbuji community, years ago, sold some of the land in the village to Fulani herders who reside with them, which some factions among the villagers are resisting.
It was revealed at the meeting that while the land was allegedly being sold to the herders, another group organized and felled the economic trees in the village for personal monetary gain. Allegations have been made that around N50 million from the sale of the community-owned economic trees have been misappropriated. The factional group used some of the disputed money to buy out some young people to protect them and their business and political interests.
As reported in the Thisday newspaper of December 22, 2022, page 42, “In their separate responses (at said meeting), Bishop Olinya (Bishop of Eha Amufu Diocese, Anglican Communion), among others, said that one of the issues fueling the crisis was the lack of clear leadership in the city and the politicization of issues by politicians.”
Also during the meeting, some of the stakeholders were candid in that they accepted having let God and Governor Ugwuanyi down by the failure of their people to comply with the various resolution mechanisms devised at various peace meetings around the state, asking that the community should go and apologize to the governor for failing them and the state.
A bizarre act that has left many in suspense is the fact that this is the first time that Benue residents are allegedly aiding or associating with Fulani herders to carry out attacks on Benue residents. a neighboring state. Benue locals and Fulani herders have engaged in dog and cat fights over the years. Benue State has border issues with Enugu State in this attacked area.
Besides the allegations that these attacks on the Eha Amufu communities were retaliation, the truth must be told that both sides, the Fulani herders and the Eha Amufu, have on different occasions attacked and killed each other.
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