More than 10 residents of Amakohia-Ubi in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State were killed late Wednesday in a bloody assault attributed to suspected Fulani herdsmen, marking the latest wave of violence in a region that has endured repeated attacks. Several others were left critically wounded, many with gunshot injuries.
According to eyewitnesses, the armed assailants stormed Umuike village, a cluster within Amakohia-Ubi, around 8 p.m., firing indiscriminately at men, women, and children. Survivors recounted that the attackers emerged suddenly from nearby bushes, catching local vigilante patrols off guard. By the time reinforcements arrived, the gunmen had fled, leaving behind scenes of carnage.
“This is the third time in recent months that these herders have invaded our village, but this one is the deadliest,” said one shaken resident who spoke to our correspondent from his hiding at night, declining to be named for fear of being marked out for attacks.
The community, which lies close to Ogbaku in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, has become increasingly vulnerable in recent times. At least 50 villagers across Amakohia-Ubi, Agwa in Oguta LGA, and other surrounding communities have been killed in similar raids since May, according to local sources.
The attacks have left deep scars. In a previous assault earlier this year where about 12 people were killed, a pregnant woman narrowly survived after sustaining severe gunshot wounds, spending more than two months at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
Despite mounting casualties, security responses have been slow and sporadic, residents allege, leaving rural populations to rely largely on vigilante outfits with limited capacity. Calls for stronger government intervention have intensified as villagers fear further incursions.
The Imo State Police Command has yet to release an official statement on the latest attack.
However, some security experts warn that the persistence of such raids underscores broader security gaps in the South-East, where tensions over herder-farmer conflicts are worsening.
For now, grief hangs heavy over Amakohia-Ubi, as families could be preparing for multiple burials and survivors counting their losses, bracing for what many fear may not be the last tragedy.
