A survivor of the cold-blooded massacre of over 50 persons in Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani L.G.A, Enugu State by Fulani herdsmen ha recounted his story.
The NYSC member in an interview with Vanguard, Patrick Eze narrated his near-death experience.
Read excerpts from the interview below:
How it happened
It was around 5.30AM, when we heard the village bell ringing, signalling danger. We heard voices from members of the village vigilante group warning that Fulani herdsmen were around. I was lying down when I heard the bell. I quickly stood up, wore my shoes and started running. Before the bell rang, we were hearing gun shots. It was after the bell that the gun shots increased. I ran from Onueke where I live with my parents through Akaha-Unasi, a neighbouring community.
The gun shots persisted. More villagers joined me in looking for safety. Midway, we heard that the Fulani’s were coming from Unasi and have taken over the village. I then decided to take another path where I started hearing the gunshots, too close to me. The bullets were piercing through the bushes and air. It was too much. I had to dodge by the bush to observe what was going on and detect where the gunshots were coming from in order to know which way to run. While I was trying to do that, I then saw the herdsmen. They were over fifty surging towards me.
The first person was wearing red. They were armed with AK47 rifles. They equally had machetes by their side. The first person attacked me with his machete. The guy on red. I ran away but they flung the machete and it cut my ankle. I fell down. They swooped on me, inflicting over 19 machete cuts and I became unconscious. They thought they had killed me. After some hours, I woke up. A man saw me. He came and asked me what happened but I could not talk. He quickly called the Vigilante Group and they took me from that farm to Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka from where I was later rushed to this hospital in Enugu.