Aku, a community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area (LGA) Enugu State, has described as “shocking and mischievous”, the report that dead bodies of four Fulani herdsmen were found in the community.
Dismissing the involvement of the community in such a dastard act, the community described the report as a lie from the pit of hell and a calculated attempt to pitch the herdsmen against the Aku community.
A national Daily (not DAILY POST) had reported that dead bodies of some herders were found around the community.
But speaking to newsmen, Chairman of the Community’s apex social-cultural organisation, Aku General Assembly (AGA), Chief Fidelis Odo Ezeoyili wondered what any person wanted to do with such misguiding and baseless report.
He maintained that Aku community had a harmonious relationship with the herdsmen in the area, describing the report as misleading and malicious, calculated to fuel crisis.
Setting the record straight, Eze Odili said: “The entire Aku Community is worried and embarrassed by the recent report that the body of a deceased Fulani herdsman was found in the community.
“The recent incident in two communities of Obimo and Nkpologu, about five kilometres to Aku town which the security agencies are currently investigating has to do with some alleged Hausa hunters who were found dead in the bush they were residing.
“We are aware that since the incident occurred, the state government and relevant security agencies have been on top of the situation. We have absolute confidence in the capacity and ability of the state government and security agencies to deal with the situation effectively.
“The incident has nothing to with Aku Community because the incident never took place in Aku territory. Again, before the incident, Aku Community has no immediate or pending conflicts with the alleged Fulani hunters, prior to the demise of some of them.
“It is preemptive and preposterous of any individual to publish or spread false information on such sensitive security matter when the security agencies have not concluded the investigation and made their findings public.
“Engaging in false publication on matter as was done recently by some media organisations and individuals is capable of hampering proper investigation and instigating avoidable conflicts,” he warned.
The AGA chairman further advised the media to always crosscheck their facts before publication to avoid misleading the public, urging the security agencies and the state government to diligently unravel the circumstances that led to the incident.
