Enugu Council Clarifies Eha-Amufu Women’s Protest
Gideon Arinze in Enugu
The Isi-Uzo Local Government Council has clarified the Tuesday protest by some women of Eha-Amufu communities, blaming it on deliberate misinformation and politicisation of security matters in the Local Government Area, LGA, by some political actors.
The council explained that the recent video of women protesting alleged killings by herders in Eha-Amufu community were propelled by “total misinformation” and not a true reflection of current security realities in Isi-Uzo LGA since Governor Peter Mbah’s assumption of office.
The council’s clarifications were contained in a statement personally issued by the Council Chairman, Barr. Obiora Obeagu, yesterday.
In the statement which was made available to THISDAY, Obeagu said that the development was a callous attempt to destroy the critical infrastructural and development interventions and initiatives by the governor in Eha-Amufu such as the landmark 21.7km Agape-Agu Mgbuji-Ogbete Road, Produce City, deployment of over 100 military and security personnel, plans for permanent security camps, among others.
“The women made a series of shocking revelations, which clearly showed that their emotions were stirred by false narratives and information by some political actors,” he said.
He noted that despite previous stakeholders’ engagements by the state government, they were misinformed that all cows in Eha-Amufu farm settlement belong to the government, hence the planned ranching project and that the Farm Estate and Produce City projects by the state government was a ploy by the government to take over their lands and hand over to herders from a particular tribe, thus they do not want the government to site any projects in our communities.
He acknowledge that while there have been incidents of farmers/herders clashes across the communities of Isi-Uzo LGA sharing borders with Benue and Ebonyi States, the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has been working relentlessly with Isi-Uzo Local Government to tackle and put an end to this problem in our farm settlements and other security challenges through far-reaching security interventions.
The council admonished “those that promote crisis and instigate protest to desist from such actions in their own interest and in the interest of our communities.”
