For allegedly killing an unspecified number of cows belonging to Fulani herdsmen, a community in Enugu State has been mandated to pay N2 million compensation.
According to Daily Sun, Ezi Nze community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State is currently paying the compensation to avoid bloodbath.
Quoting newly-elected President of Ezi Nze Town Union, Kelvin Ochi, the paper reported that the community has so far paid N600,000 of the N2 million demanded by the herdsmen.
He decried how herdsmen had continuously injured residents, raped women and destroyed farms in the community in the last two years.
Ochi said, “Recently, they came and arrested our boys alleging that they killed their cows. They charged us N2 million and we have started to pay and I think so far, we’ve paid up to N600,000 to the Fulani people.
“When they arrested our boys, we had no option than to dance to their tune.”
He recounted how a 13-year-old boy was allegedly shot by Fulani herdsmen in the community recently, adding that the victim was still receiving treatment at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital.
Ochi lambasted the peace committee set up by the state government to resolve crises between Fulani herdsmen and host communities, stating that the committee had failed to listen to or act on their complaints.