Simon Okechukwu, former aide to ex-Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to save his people from the hands of suspected herders and kidnappers.

Okechukwu, an author, prayed the governor to look into the insecurity in his Uzo-Uwani LGA of the state. Our correspondent reports that the LGA has witnessed killings and kidnapping cases of late.

Okechukwu informed Gov Mbah that, “There were unprovoked killings of some natives journeying to Umulokpa from Nkpologu on a broad daylight by suspected Fulani herdsmen.There is no arrest to propel investigations into the matter. Uzo Uwani LGA is now a safe haven for herdsmen’s attacks, terrorism. In all, it is the poor and the helpless of Uzo-uwani that suffer most.”

He claimed that the situation had placed his people on the danger list. “We are crying for the intervention of your government to salvage the ugly trend,” he said, adding that, “It is really unfortunate that what is happening in Uzo-Uwani is staring us on our individual faces, but nothing has been done to bring it whether officially or otherwise to your table for necessary action.”

He also alerted the governor to how the insecurity in his Uzo-Uwani LGA had frustrated the agro-potentials of the natives.

He wrote, “Farmers in Opanda-Nimbo and other places can no longer move freely to their various farms. This will retard harvest which will lead to serious scarcity of food in Enugu State if urgent necessary action is not taken.

“Before this insecurity, many people from across South East and beyond came to Opanda and Adani to buy rice, yam and pepper, but they are now scared of coming because of the insecurity.”

He drew the attention of Gov Mbah that Uzo-Uwani deserve his attention, having voted him during the 2023 elections.

He suggested ways of improving the security in the LGA, including giving security buses to all the communities in Uzo-Uwani and mandating their respective traditional rulers to set up neighbourhood guards.

THE WHISTLER however recalls that when the most recent killing occurred at Nimbo, which claimed about four lives, Governor Mbah visited the scene, and commiserated with the victims.

During his visit, he pledged to track down the hoodlums who attacked the community. He said the attack was a collective tragedy to Enugu State, assuring that the state government would work with community leaders and heads of security agencies to strengthen security at Nimbo and other communities in the council area.

He had said, “Let me assure you that enough is enough. I don’t think that we would allow our hospitality to be taken for granted. We really don’t have any reason to exist as a government if we cannot guarantee the safety of our people because the primary purpose of government is to guarantee the security and the welfare of the citizens. So, a situation where our people would go to bed with their two eyes open must end. And it must end immediately.”

Mbah, during the visit, awarded scholarships to the children of the victims of the attack.