Herdsmen clash with the Joint Task Force five people have been confirmed dead during a violent clash between Fulani herdsmen and members of the Joint Task Force of Imo state on Wednesday, July 15, 2015.
The victim was allegedly shot by one of the members of the suspected Fulani group in Orlu local government in Imo state.
According to eyewitnesses, the Taskforce resisted the Fulani gunmen from grazing on a neighboring town’s farmland.
In a bid to stop their cows from grazing on farmlands, the suspects shot sporadically into the air, thereby killing some, while scores were injured.
Mr. Wike Ifeanyi, chairman of Orlu Local Government’s Joint Taskforce, said the majority of the gunmen were from the north and had come to Orlu to rare cows.
Wike, who said he is a native of the Orlu Local Government Area of the State of Nigeria, added that he works as a member of the Joint Task Force.
Speaking to newsmen, he testified that Fulani gunmen have threatened him and other members of the Taskforce many times because they are members of the community vigilante.
“Trouble started when these gunmen stormed our local government area in the morning and seized scores of motorcycles”.
He testified that Fulani gunmen have threatened him and other members of the Taskforce multiple times because they are members of the community vigilante.
Speaking further, he said, “they have been on the trail of some members of my JTF, like Chijioke Obidiegwu, Emeka Chukwuma, Israel Amadi, Treasure Ofeanyi, and others, who have been restricting their movement, especially on farmlands”.
Eyewitnesses alleged that houses were burnt, and cars and motorcycles were stolen during the fracas, which lasted for hours.