Two members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria have been reportedly killed following an attack on a cattle camp in the Oheoyya community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The victims, identified as Ahmadu and Umaru, were sons of the South-East Zonal Chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Haruna Sale.
In a statement signed by the association’s National Deputy Director-General, Gidado Siddiki, the attack occurred at about 5:00pm on Saturday, when unidentified gunmen invaded the camp.
Siddiki disclosed that apart from killing the two brothers, the assailants also slaughtered about 40 cows during the invasion.
He commended the Enugu State Government and security operatives for their prompt response, which enabled the recovery of the victims’ bodies from the forest for Islamic burial rites.
“We sincerely appreciate the government of Enugu State and the security agencies for their swift intervention in recovering the bodies of the deceased from the forest,” Siddiki stated.
The association called on security agencies to launch a thorough investigation into the incident, track down the perpetrators, and bring them to justice.
Reiterating that MACBAN members in the South-East are engaged in legitimate cattle rearing, breeding, and trading in line with Nigerian laws, Siddiki appealed to Enugu residents to maintain peaceful coexistence.
He expressed appreciation to Governor Peter Mbah, traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents for their support, stressing that harmonious relations between herders and host communities remain vital for security and business operations.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to phone calls or text messages sent to his line as of the time of filing this report.
(c) Punch
