Woman identified as Cordelia Utazi, was allegedly shot and hacked to death by suspected Fulani herdsmen on her farm at Ugwujoro Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
It was gathered that the deceased, popularly known as Onyee Eze, was weeding her farm with her daughter, Onyinye, on Monday, October 18, when the herdsmen attacked them.
A source who was involved in evacuating the corpse to the Faith Foundation Hospital in Nsukka told journalists on Thursday, that the deceased’s daughter had drawn the attention of her late mother to the presence of the armed herdsmen but sensing they were going to be attacked, the young girl fled and alerted other villagers.
“They were weeding in the farm when her daughter looked up and saw herdsmen with their cattle on their farm. The daughter, Onyinye, saw the herdsmen moving very fast towards their direction and took to her heels,” the source narrated.
“The mother, Cordelia Utazi, also wanted to run but the herdsmen shot her. When they got to where she was lying helpless, they used cutlass to cut off her hands. They equally used something to smash her skull. It was the daughter who ran to the village to inform others of what had happened to her mother.
“In that state of confusion, the villagers rushed to the scene and discovered the woman in a pool of her blood. Before they could reach there, the herders had disappeared into nearby bushes with their cattle. It was a terrible incident in our community.
Spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the incident said said police has commenced investigation to fish out the hoodlums who allegedly murdered the farmer.
“Investigation has been launched to fish out the hoodlums, alleged to have murdered a middle-aged woman in Ugwujoro Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani LGA in the afternoon hours of 18/10/2021. Further development will be communicated,” he said.
However, the South East Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, said his members were not responsible for the killing.
“There are no herdsmen at Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State as of today” he said.
While saying that those who carried out the attack are not members of his association, he added that not every herdsman seen in the bush is a member of MACBAN.
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