Herdsmen invade Imo community again, 9 days after woman was shot

OWERRI – Residents of Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State were thrown into panic in the early hours of Monday following a fresh invasion by suspected herdsmen who reportedly fired sporadic gunshots while moving through the area.

This latest incident comes just nine days after a previous attack in which a woman sustained injuries during a similar incursion. That earlier attack allegedly occurred after members of the community attempted to prevent herders from grazing their cattle on farmlands.

According to local sources, the herders damaged several farmlands, destroying crops including cassava, plantain, and banana. The affected areas were reportedly left littered with cattle footprints and droppings.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunfire forced villagers to flee their homes for safety.

“Herdsmen came to Mbano and Umuekpu Agwa around 3 a.m. and started shooting sporadically,” the source said. “They destroyed our crops—cassava, plantain, banana. This situation is becoming unbearable. It reminds us of the tragic loss of two of our sons, Ozoemele Iriaka and Chukwuemeka Nnorom. It’s distressing that these incidents are recurring without adequate response.”

As of the time of filing this report, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, had not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.