Vigilante Leader Killed, Others Missing as Suspected Herders Attack Imo Community

A vigilante leader and another member of his team were killed on Wednesday when suspected armed herders launched an attack on Amakohia-Ubi, a community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, South-east Nigeria.

The attack, which occurred around 6:30 p.m., sent terrified residents fleeing to neighbouring communities for safety.

How It Happened

A community member, who identified himself as Mr. Paul, told Vanguard that the vigilante leader, Monday Nwaozuzu, was shot dead during the assault.

“The dead, the wounded, and the missing are all members of our community vigilante. Monday was killed instantly, while others are still unaccounted for. At least three of our men were trapped in the clash,” he said.

Another resident explained that the violence broke out when vigilante operatives tried to stop herders from leading their cattle into farmlands near a school.

“It is normal for our vigilantes to guard the farms. On Wednesday, they asked the herders to turn back, but the herders refused. Unknown to them, the herders were armed. They opened fire, killing Monday and injuring another. Since then, we have been combing the bushes in search of those missing,” the resident said.

Community members suspect some vigilantes were abducted. One resident said that when they tried calling one of the missing vigilantes on Thursday morning, a suspected herder answered the phone.

“For now, we cannot say if our brothers are dead or kidnapped. Sadly, this is not the first attack on our community in recent months,” he lamented.

Police Reaction

Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident. Spokesperson Henry Okoye said the vigilante leader died instantly while another member died during treatment. He, however, did not confirm the number of those missing.

Mr. Okoye added that investigations had commenced and assured that the attackers would be tracked down.

The Wider Herder-Farmer Crisis

The attack adds to the long list of deadly clashes between farmers and herders across Nigeria. Just last Sunday, over 400 armed herders reportedly invaded Aye-Twar community in Benue State, leaving homes and places of worship in ruins.

In response to such crises, Senator Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta) is sponsoring a bill to establish ranches across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas and the FCT, aiming to curb open grazing and improve food security.

Although previous proposals for nationwide ranches were rejected, the federal government has introduced the Pulaku Initiative, a resettlement programme designed to tackle the root causes of farmer-herder conflicts. Vice President Kashim Shettima explained that the initiative is not intended as compensation for any group but as a practical solution to restore peace and unity.

Currently, the Pulaku programme is being implemented in seven heavily affected states: Sokoto, Kebbi, Benue, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, and Kaduna. It will provide housing, schools, roads, and other facilities to revitalise affected communities.