Tuesday’s protest by some women of Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State alleging incessant rape and related abuses by Fulani herdsmen is orchestrated by misinformation, says council boss Mr Obiora Obeagu.
THE WHISTLER reports that the women, in their hundreds, had protested as portrayed in a viral video where they accused herders of harassing and raping them at their farms. They therefore called on relevant authorities to intervene.
The Chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA, Mr Obiora Obeagu, in a release made available to THE WHISTLER on Wednesday, attributed the protest to “misinformation and politicisation of security matters in the area by some political actors”. He stated that Gov Peter Mbah had improved the security situation in the area since his assumption of office.
Obeagu rued what he described as “a callous attempt to dent many critical infrastructure and development interventions and initiatives by the governor in Eha-Amufu, such as the 21.7km Agape-Agu Mgbuji-Ogbete Road, Produce City, deployment of over 100 military and security personnel, and plans for permanent security camps” in the area.
Quoting him, “On Tuesday, I had the opportunity of meeting with the protesting Eha-Ohuala women that came from Eha-Amufu to my office at Isi-Uzo Local Government headquarters, Ikem.
“They made a series of shocking revelations, which clearly showed that their emotions were stirred by false narratives and information by some political actors.
“Despite previous stakeholders’ engagements by the state government, they were misinformed that all cows at the 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 were 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.”
Obeagu claimed that it was understandable that the trending videos and complaints from the women bordered on the incidents that happened in the farm settlements some years ago and how the government should help them relocate permanently to their farms again.
He submitted that “The protest that happened on Tuesday was a sponsored protest and political propaganda orchestrated by mischievous elements and enemies of progress, who fed the protesting women with lies and false information for political capital.
“We acknowledge that there was an unfortunate incident of rape on 17th February, 2025.
“I took up the hospital bills and the woman has been discharged but the narrative of insertion of sticks in private parts is false.
“We acknowledge that we have had incidents of farmers/herders’ clashes across the communities of Isi-Uzo LGA sharing borders with Benue and Ebonyi states dating back to over 15 years.
“However, the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has been working relentlessly with Isi-Uzo LGA to tackle and put an end to this problem in our farm settlements and other security challenges through far-reaching security interventions, infrastructural development, and agricultural projects such as the Produce Cities, Farm Estates, and other projects to ensure productive use and effective governance of all spaces for socio-economic growth of the state.”
The chairman said contrary to the claims in the protest videos, the Mbah administration had gone a long way in restoring order, peace, and security in Eha-Amufu and Isi-Uzo.
“There is no longer a single Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the entire Isi-Uzo since a few months after the governor was sworn in.
“Our people are in their homes, unlike in 2022 when traditional rulers and religious leaders relocated from Eha-Amufu to other towns and cities,” Obeagu said.
He advised those promoting crises and instigating protests in the area to desist from such actions in their interest.
The women had claimed that the herders inserted sticks in the private parts of their victims after raping them.