Ben Anyanwu Uwasomba

MONDAY MUSINGS WHEN ANCESTRAL HOMES BECOME KILLING FIELDS: UKPATA COMMUNITY BLEEDS FROM A DEADLY INVASION BY JIHADIST FULANI HERDSMEN, AS FAMILIES WEEP OVER THEIR FALLEN LOVED ONES. It was an otherwise ordinary day in the already fear-stricken community of Ukpata, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. But beneath the deceptive calm of the day, a deadly tragedy was unfolding. The day’s defining political spectacle was the elaborate inauguration of the State Governor’s campaign council, accompanied by an impressive list of appointees which, rather curiously, included a Catholic Bishop and other revered men of God. While political permutations and electoral calculations were receiving elaborate attention, however, the ancestral homeland of Ukpata community in Uzo Uwani LGA , Enugu state was being subjected to a horrific bloodbath. On that fateful day, heavily armed Fulani jihadist herdsmen unleashed another devastating wave of violence upon the defenceless and peace-loving people of Ukpata. Lives were lost, families shattered, and an entire community plunged into indescribable grief. The photographs emerging from the scene are deeply disturbing, and viewers are strongly advised to exercise discretion. It was on Friday, the 29th day of October 2026, that Ezechi, aged 28, became the latest victim of this bloody assault on Ukpata community. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries, while desperate efforts are being made by the community to save the lives of those grievously wounded. Ezechi Ekenechukwu, a promising young man and breadwinner whose life was brutally cut short by the invading assailants. A family that once looked to him for hope and sustenance must now contend with the unbearable reality of his absence. There is no adequate language to console a family whose loved one has been violently snatched away in circumstances so cruel and senseless. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families and the entire Ukpata community. More troubling still, no arrests have reportedly been made, even as casualty figures continue to emerge and ominous threats of further attacks reportedly hang over the community. How many more innocent lives must be sacrificed before the protection of these vulnerable communities is treated as an emergency rather than a matter of political convenience? Perhaps Governor Peter Mbah should consider suspending the celebratory rhythm of campaign activities long enough to visit this grieving community, personally assess the devastation and demonstrate that the lives of rural Enugu residents matter just as much as the political arithmetic of the forthcoming elections. After all, what is the value of an elaborate campaign council when the very communities whose votes are being courted cannot sleep without fear of annihilation? I have consistently sounded this alarm: the longer these murderous invaders are allowed to entrench themselves in the forests and farmlands of Uzo-Uwani, the more emboldened they become. The evil day of decisively routing these criminal elements from the forests and communities they have occupied must not be postponed indefinitely. The Enugu forest guards deserve commendation for the sacrifices they continue to make under exceedingly difficult circumstances. However, their efforts must be reinforced with more sophisticated operational equipment, intelligence-driven security interventions and decisive government action. They cannot be expected to confront an increasingly emboldened and heavily armed adversary with inadequate resources. Let it be stated unequivocally: the illegal occupation of the farmlands and bushes of Ukpata cannot end through wishful thinking, political speeches or cosmetic security arrangements. Those who have made peaceful habitation impossible must be made to understand that the government will no longer tolerate their criminal occupation. There is an old saying that when the house is on fire, one does not assemble the elders to debate the colour of the flames. Ukpata is burning. Its people are mourning. Its ancestral heritage is under siege. This is no longer a matter for another committee, another promise or another campaign speech. It is a call for urgent, decisive and uncompromising action. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may the Almighty grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear these irreparable losses. ENOUGH OF THE BLOODLETTING! UKPATA MUST NOT BE ABANDONED! Signed: Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. (KSC) Dunu-Ezeugosinachi 2 November 2026