Enugu monarch alleges military harassment

…seeks probe into farmers’ abduction
By Innocent Anaba
The traditional ruler of Mbulu Owo community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Godwin Arum, has raised the alarm over what he described as repeated intimidation of his people by armed military personnel, calling on the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces to urgently intervene and rein in officers operating in the area.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu yesterday , the monarch said the community was thrown into panic on Wednesday when masked military men, numbering over 50, stormed farmland in Owo and abducted eight able-bodied men who were working on their ancestral land. He described the operation as sudden, forceful, and deeply distressing for affected families and the wider community.

Igwe Arum explained that farming remains the main source of livelihood for the people of Mbulu Owo and neighbouring communities, noting that the land in question has been cultivated for generations without dispute with the Federal Government or any institution.

He added that the recent military presence and abductions have created fear, disrupted farming activities, and threatened food production in the largely agrarian area.

The monarch further said the abducted persons may be undergoing harsh treatment, as they were taken away to an unknown location like criminals without clear explanation of their alleged offence, a situation he said has heightened tension in the community.

He said: “Residents of my community now fear going to their farms because of the presence of brutal military personnel. It is very unfair and inhumane for civilians to be treated like animals and criminals by the military for engaging in lawful activities on their ancestral land. What the military is doing in our community has to stop before it degenerates into something else. We cannot be on our land and live in fear anymore.”

He also called for the immediate release of the abducted farmers and urged the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff to investigate and punish those involved in what he described as a “dastardly act.”

“The Nigerian Army has to leave Owo and Mbulu Owo communities. They need to stop these series of harassment on our people before it turns into something else. Right now, we are in the rainy season, but many farmers in Owo are uncertain about returning to their farms because of military brutality, as fear of further arrests continues to spread in our communities. It is time to get those involved in this arrest to quench the fire it could ignite before it is too late,” he added.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police officer at the Idodo/Owo Police Division confirmed the incident. He said the police were not officially informed about the invasion or the alleged abduction until families of the victims reported the matter at the station.

He further explained that upon receiving the report, the police contacted a neighbouring military camp at Ezeilo, whose officials confirmed that their personnel had entered the village and taken away some residents, alleging that they were involved in the destruction of property on their land.

However, when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls or text messages at press time.