Enugu – A victim of the April 25 Nimbo community invasion by suspected herdsmen, Mr Kingsley Ezeugwu, told the Commission of Inquiry into the incident how the assailants recorded the attack on video camera.
Ezeugwu, who testified during the ongoing sitting of the commission in Enugu on Monday, described the attack as “a well-orchestrated’’ plot against the people of Nimbo.
The victim, who served as a Councillor in the Local Government Legislative Council, was led in evidence by the Chief Legal Officer of the Commission, Mr Richard Udeidichi.
Ezeugwu said he had gone to visit his parents in the community when the attack occurred.
“I had gone to see my parents from Nsukka where I live and decided to pass the night in my elder brother’s house.
“The following morning, I started hearing sporadic gunshots and could not exactly know what was happening and the exact direction the shots were coming from.
“At this point, I heard my father shouting my name from the next compound that they had killed him,” he said.
Ezeugwu said that at that point he decided to come out of the fenced compound where he was only to see suspected herdsmen numbering over 30 carrying machetes.
“When they saw me, they started pursuing me and I had to run for my dear life but at a point I got tired and decided to surrender to them.
“I knelt down and pleaded with them not to kill me but they were adamant and gave me serious machete cuts severally on my head, hand and back.
“As this was happening, I raised my head and saw a man recording the incident with a video camera,” he said.
Ezeugwu said that he fell down and pretended to be dead “and at this point the assailants thought I was dead and left”.
He said that Nimbo community had been on constant attack by the suspected herdsmen, adding that their women were regularly raped on the farm.
“As a councillor representing my ward, I told the Divisional Police Officer in my area about the activities of the herdsmen who have been killing our people but do not know if the matter was investigated.
“Up to this moment, our people are still on the run,” Ezeugwu said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Chukwuma Eneh adjourned further testimony at the instance of the victim’s Counsel, Mr Matthais Nwande.
Nwande informed the tribunal that his client was not in his right frame of mind as his testimonies were not in tandem with his written memorandum.
“My Lord, as you can see, the head injuries my client sustained may have affected his reasoning. I, therefore, apply that the testimonies be suspended for him to have time to fully recuperate,” Nwande said. (NAN)