The Enugu State Police Command has categorically dismissed an online report alleging that herdsmen have invaded and occupied homes and schools in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, describing it as “baseless, mischievous, and a calculated attempt to mislead the public and instill fear.”
In a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, it was asserted that “no community in Eha-Amufu or any part of Enugu State has been invaded, besieged, or had its residents displaced, as claimed. Furthermore, the farm settlements purportedly overrun by herdsmen are merely temporary dwellings used by farmers who intermittently return to their permanent homes in their villages.”
Ndukwe elaborated that, “While records indicate that farmers were temporarily displaced from these settlements during clashes between farmers and herders in 2021 and 2022, peace and order have since been restored to the Eha-Amufu communities through collaborative security operations, countering the misleading claims made in the report.”
He expressed disappointment that the publication neglected these essential facts and timelines, resorting instead to unrelated images to bolster its sensational claims. After thorough forensic and digital fact-checking, it was revealed that the images had been taken from previous reports on incidents in neighbouring states and other locations, then misleadingly repurposed.
For instance, photographs of burnt houses shared by Amnesty International in condemnation of the February 4, 2025, attack on the Nkalaeha community in a neighbouring state were falsely presented in the report as recent events occurring in Eha-Amufu farm settlements.
The statement also acknowledged the efforts of the state government in enhancing security, particularly highlighting some of Governor Peter Mbah’s initiatives.
“The Police Command recognises the deliberate and extensive interventions of the Enugu State Government to bolster security, especially in Eha-Amufu, under the leadership of Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.”
These initiatives include the deployment of 150 military personnel and well-equipped Special Forces, the establishment of security agency barracks, and the construction of the nearly completed 21.7 km Agape-Agu Mgbuji-Ogbete access roads leading to certain farm settlements in the community.
Additionally, “Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, urges the public to disregard this unfounded report. He reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the Police and other security agencies to maintaining law, order, and security throughout the state. He encourages citizens, particularly those in the allegedly affected communities of Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, to remain law-abiding, cooperate with security agencies, and report any genuine security concerns through official channels.”
