Woman who survived Ebonyi killings

Mrs Ngozi Odo-Abuchi is a graduate of the National Teachers’ Institute, who works in the Education Department of the Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. In this interview with RAPHAEL EDE, the 49-year-old widow who survived herdsmen’s attack on Obeagu community in the Ishielu LGA on Monday last week, explains her face- to- face encounter with death

We learnt that you narrowly escaped the herdsmen’s attack on the Obeagu Road. How did it happen? Why did they spare your life?

On Monday, while I was coming home from where I went to, I mounted an okada from their park at the Nkalagu junction to convey me to Obeagu, my hometown. The rider is from the same community but not the same village. We left Nkalagu around 5pm and from Nkalagu to Obeagu is between 30 and 45 minutes with a motorcycle. We passed our junction, Egedegede, and about half way into the town, we saw people wearing black attire and most of them were inside the bush. Because the okada rider was on top speed, he could not stop immediately after sighting those people. And because he was not suspecting anything, he continued.

Unfortunately, when we got to that point, those people swooped on us. We were trying to run, but we didn’t know they had surrounded the entire place and they grabbed us. They started beating us, dragged us into the bush so that nobody could easily see what they were doing from the road. They were hitting us with their machetes on the head and kicking us with their boots. They stabbed the motorcyclist in the stomach and slit his throat. That was how they killed all the men; some of the attackers cut the men’s noses and hands after killing them.

When you got to the Egedegede junction, did you not see the vehicles and motorcycles that were burnt along the road?

They had not done that. It appeared that they started the killing on the road leading to the community. We were the first they stopped and the okada man conveying us was the first person they killed. As other motorcyclists were coming, they continued killing them, while the females were being tortured. After the beating, they would drag them inside the bush and ask them to lie down. They killed all the okada riders, but the women they didn’t kill, but beat us so mercilessly.

Why did they spare all the women and none was killed?

One of them, while they were killing the men, drew his dagger to stab me. Then I was seriously praying and remembering God’s promises to those who entrusted their lives to him. Suddenly, one of their leaders shouted at him: ‘Do not touch the women, they will go and tell their people that this is the consequences of daring to chase Fulani herdsmen out of their community. They will take our message to Nnamdi Kanu that he is doing his Biafra and that he and his IPOB cannot stop us from operating anywhere in the South-East or even South-South. All the heads of security agencies are our people. If they attack any Fulani man in any state, the government security agencies being controlled by our people will go after them, while we will come for reprisal. Tell Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB that he can continue to rant on social media, while we do what we know best.’

What is your experience like in the hands of the herdsmen?

What I saw that evening is better imagined. It was very horrific, but thank God for sparing my life. God is very merciful to me. I was calling the name of Jesus Christ to intervene and save us. While I was praying, I was also quoting the Bible, remembering his promises to those who believe and trust in him. So, as I was praying, one of them said I shouldn’t pray again and close my mouth, but I kept on praying and they kept beating me. One of them raised a dagger to kill me before another one shouted at him to stop and not to kill her or any of the women. There was nothing they didn’t use to torture us; they hit us with machetes; they kicked us with boots and marched upon us.

How long did the operation last?

I don’t know, but I know it started around 6pm and we were there till darkness covered us. After killing people, they started burning the motorcycles. So, their attack at that location could have lasted about two to three hours or more, but I can’t be exact, because they collected all our belongings – phones, money and every valuable item, including handbags.

Then, how did you manage to come out alive?

It was a miracle of God really. After they had killed all the men, they gathered some motorcycles and were burning them. At that point, I discovered that they were not close to us and we all ran inside the bush and while we were running, we continued to hide behind trees and the darkness of the night covered us. So, we slept inside the bush until the following morning. In the morning, two of us who ran and hid in the same place trekked back to the scene to see if our belongings were left and some villagers saw us and took us home.

How many were the attackers?

They were many; more than 20. I couldn’t have counted them because some of them were on the road; some were staying with us and beating us, while some were going up and down. Probably, those ones were on surveillance looking for more people and ensuring that they were not repelled. Meanwhile, all of them were bearing AK-47 rifles with double magazines.

Do you know who the assailants were?

They were Fulani men. In short, they told us that they were Fulani; that they came to show us that since our people pursued them out of our community, they wanted to give us a parting gift.

Is your community having problems with herdsmen?

Yes. They used to take their cows into our farms and destroy crops. They harvest yams and cassava and use them to feed their cows; when our people complained, they would tell us that it wasn’t their cows that destroyed the crops. So, this year, our people asked them to leave our community so that we could return to the farm. You drove to this place, from that Egedegede junction to this town is about 15 kilometres and I am sure you didn’t see any side of the road that was cultivated and that is because when we cultivate, the herdsmen will bring their cows and destroy it.

Our land is lying fallow, while hunger is killing people, because they can’t go to farm. So, our people said since you could not cohabit with us in peace, it was better you relocate to another place. So, after that, a few weeks ago, the people they occupied their land now drove them out.

What did they tell you was the reason they came to kill your people?

They said our people killed their cows and today we must pay with our lives. Like I told you earlier, they said we were agitating for Biafra and that we would see if that would save us; that Nnamdi Kanu was just making a noise. They also said any community in the South that a Fulani was attacked or their cows killed, after using security agencies that their people control to ensure that the cows were paid for, they would attack the community. They told us to go and tell the chairman of the local government council that the attack they carry out won’t go to the Internet, but the one we carry out would be uploaded on the Internet immediately.

What language were they speaking?

They spoke Pidgin English and their language. They spoke their language when talking among themselves. But the Pidgin English was the language they were speaking mainly, probably because they wanted us to hear them. Looking at the way they carried out the killings, they looked like well-trained soldiers.

Did you have a premonition of the incident?

Yes. I had a revelation of this incident but it was about a month now. I saw it happened to me and since then, I had been praying against it until it was made manifest on that Monday. Before, I was watching on the television how people were being slaughtered, but it was during the attack that I saw it with my eyes. It is only the grace of God that I survived the attack. It is callous, inhuman and atrocious.

Since the incident happened, have the police or any other security agency or government officials visited you to ask you how it happened?

None of those you mentioned has visited me. It is only some community members and my relations who are coming to check on me and ask how it happened.

Copyright PUNCH.

Buhari kinsmen

they think because the president is their brother so they own nigeria.
if the law will not judge them,
Olisa will judge them.
Oluwa will judge them.
Ubangiji will judge them.
Owoicho will judge them
Ukpo will judge them
Ojo will judge them
Abasi will judge them
infact, God will judge them.

This is one area I would give kudos to Ugwuanyi the Enugu state governor. After the Uzo Uwani attack, he constituted the neighborhood watch and have gone further to add forest guard.

How come no security agents intervened all through the operation? Was Umahi relying on the police or the army already dominated by Fulani people? Won't he try and constitute a local vigilante group well equipped with arms and vehicles that could be called in during such operation? I strongly believe that forest guard or neighborhood watch would have done something if this is a case of Enugu state. Umahi I really love your works in Ebonyi state but you failed in this one.

Time has come for every community in Igbo land to constitute security groups well armed. Nigeria security has been highly compromised. With Fulanis dominating our security network, we can never get better.

Till Date the Police have not concluded investigations or told us those who carried out the attacks. Buy in less than a day they were able to authoritatively tell Nigerians those behind the attacks on their Imo state headquarters and Prisons. How was was state Police headquarters attacked without the Police returning fire atleast and no casualties on both sides (Police and Attackers)??.

And where is the police, DSS and army?

Who doesn't know that the government is being controlled by these fulani herdsmens.


How can buhari keep quiet after all of this and do nothing but pass stupid messages from his media aide which I am sure wasn't the one who wrote because he is just an illiterate like his fellow kinsmen.

Nigeria government are useless.

this evil must stop

Well... they would only tag the victims "Biafran boys" and any reprisal "Hausa Victims" because the word "Fulanis" no longer draw remorse and empathy..

The IGP need to resign ...

He’s mentally incapable to head Nigeria police

A foolish slender idiot.

Assuming on matters of life..

Very stupid

SpecialAdviser:
This is one area I would give kudos to Ugwuanyi the Enugu state governor. After the Uzo Uwani attack, he constituted the neighborhood watch and have gone further to add forest guard.

How come no security agents intervened all through the operation? Was Umahi relying on the police or the army already dominated by Fulani people? Won't he try and constitute a local vigilante group well equipped with arms and vehicles that could be called in during such operation? I strongly believe that forest guard or neighborhood watch would have done something if this is a case of Enugu state. Umahi I really love your works in Ebonyi state but you failed in this one.

Time has come for every community in Igbo land to constitute security groups well armed. Nigeria security has been highly compromised. With Fulanis dominating our security network, we can never get better.

The same forest guards that did nothing when a man was gunned down and fulani herdsmen refused him medical treatment until esn arrived. Forest guard carrying sticks will face fulani with ak 47.

SpecialAdviser:
This is one area I would give kudos to Ugwuanyi the Enugu state governor. After the Uzo Uwani attack, he constituted the neighborhood watch and have gone further to add forest guard.

How come no security agents intervened all through the operation? Was Umahi relying on the police or the army already dominated by Fulani people? Won't he try and constitute a local vigilante group well equipped with arms and vehicles that could be called in during such operation? I strongly believe that forest guard or neighborhood watch would have done something if this is a case of Enugu state. Umahi I really love your works in Ebonyi state but you failed in this one.

Time has come for every community in Igbo land to constitute security groups well armed. Nigeria security has been highly compromised. With Fulanis dominating our security network, we can never get better.

Umahi is a fool that doesn't learn from history, he thinks bribing the Herdsmen will make them not to attack your state, foolish man. He should thank God for ESN that came into that area after the attack and that's why the Fulanis ran away. The same ESN the foolish umahi was fighting with all his might. You can see why the Fulani controlled Nigerian security agencies are desperate to take out ESN, they are the only barriers in the way of the Fulani agenda.

It's not boasting if it's the truth,
It has gotten to a point where accepting to be Nigerian is to be a fulani slave,
In 2023, a fulani would be VP and the talk of cows and settling herdsmen would continue while the world develops

Southeast governors especially Umahi and Uzodimma, I hope this interview has opened your eyes. No wonder they staged the Owerri attack and tagged it IPOB:/ESN so as to create discord between Kanu and Igbos because they know Kanu's ESN. is the only defense Igbos have. Let me see any traitor that will speak evil of the people's army

When we were raising alarm on the gross nepotism in appointments especially in the security architecture, some foolish southerners said 'it doesn't matter', now see the result. Solutions are more important now however let everyone know that every decision will count if not today surely it will tomorrow.
Up till now non of them have been arrested by the IGP and he still can't say it's fulani terrorist militia but he's quick to call out IPOB for Owerri Prison break.
Anyway, if you're a soldier with common sense, you shouldn't sacrifice your life fighting on the side of the terrorist government. Don't join them to go and attack young men defending their ancestral lands. If you die in the course of it, your death is in vain. Where's corporal Martin today? He's in guardroom for close to a year despite not killing anyone but fulani terrorists and bandits are making millions kidnapping and wiping off villages. No attacks on them by the fulani government rather they're condemned on the media but patted on the back in secret. If you're not a fulani soldier, don't join them in attacking innocent youths defending their land from invaders.

The source need to be added before I say my mind

sincerely speaking, south east and south south governors are not proactive enough.

History555:



The same forest guards that did nothing when a man was gunned down and fulani herdsmen refused him medical treatment until esn arrived. Forest guard carrying sticks will face fulani with ak 47.

Of course ESN is the best. But at least any local security outfit would have offered resistance.

If the Governor should allow any herdsmen to remain in Ebonyi he is a fool

The day we will come for our leader hmmm

Key revelations from the interview;

- The security system is effectively in the hands of the Fulanis
- When any community retaliates, the Nigerian security forces will come against those communities
- The Nigerian security forces provide coverage for Fulani herdsmen
- They have embedded themselves in every community in SE and SS
- They will cause the retaliation of indigenous communities to trend all over the world (BBC, CNN and Yoruba media houses)

She didn't say if he spoke in Hausa or turenchi.

If we talk, they will come and abuse us.


They are rather engaged on other threads mocking people that they are in IDP camps in Benin Republic while their own home is burning.


Instead of IPOB and ESN to go after all Fulanis in their towns and forests, they are burning police stations, killing Igbo policemen, and releasing dangerous criminals into the society.


Yet, they are being defended by clueless people that they are doing great.

Water is wet

This is heart breaking and terrible.

They were many; more than 20. I couldn’t have counted them because some of them were on the road; some were staying with us and beating us, while some were going up and down. Probably, those ones were on surveillance looking for more people and ensuring that they were not repelled. Meanwhile, all of them were bearing AK-47 rifles with double magazines.

Do you know who the assailants were?

They were Fulani men. In short, they told us that they were Fulani; that they came to show us that since our people pursued them out of our community, they wanted to give us a parting gift.

Is your community having problems with herdsmen?

Yes. They used to take their cows into our farms and destroy crops. They harvest yams and cassava and use them to feed their cows; when our people complained, they would tell us that it wasn’t their cows that destroyed the crops. So, this year, our people asked them to leave our community so that we could return to the farm. You drove to this place, from that Egedegede junction to this town is about 15 kilometres and I am sure you didn’t see any side of the road that was cultivated and that is because when we cultivate, the herdsmen will bring their cows and destroy it.