APC Raises Alarm Over Enugu Killings, Kidnappings, Accuses Peter Mbah Govt Of Suppressing Reports
In what many observers have described as a damning indictment of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over the rising wave of insecurity ravaging the state—especially in the rural and agrarian regions. The party, during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Enugu on Saturday, April 19, 2025, condemned what it called “the criminal silence, ineptitude, and calculated suppression of news” about the persistent killings, kidnappings, and displacement of citizens in parts of the state.
According to a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the party fingered the Peter Mbah-led government for gross failure to provide security and protect the lives and property of citizens, accusing it of presiding over what it termed a “creeping reign of terror,” especially in Uzo-Uwani, Isi-Uzo, and other rural communities in Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
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While much of Enugu city remains relatively calm, the APC expressed deep concern that the rural heartland of the state is under siege. The party cited the Ugwogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka road, which has become notorious for violent abductions, murders, and armed robbery attacks. This strategic route connecting the capital to Northern Enugu and parts of Benue State has reportedly become a death trap for motorists and commercial transport operators.
“The Ugwogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka axis has turned into a corridor of blood. People cannot travel without fear of being abducted, robbed, or killed,” the party lamented.
In its communique, the APC specifically noted the suffering of residents in Uzo-Uwani and Isi-Uzo LGAs, areas that have been heavily affected by marauding gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen. The party said the victims of these violent invasions are mostly farmers who have lost access to their lands, means of livelihood, and in some cases, their lives.
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Perhaps the most harrowing episode remains the ongoing tragedy in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo LGA. Once known for its rich farmlands and serene communities, Eha-Amufu is now a shadow of its former self. Armed groups suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have laid siege to the area, sacking no fewer than 44 farm settlements, collectively known as “Ndiagu,” and rendering hundreds of residents homeless.
Displaced families now squat in temporary shelters in neighbouring towns like Ikem, Obollo-Afor, and parts of Benue State. The state government’s response, many say, has been muted—bordering on total neglect.
A community leader from Eha-Amufu, who pleaded anonymity for fear of reprisal, said: “We have cried out for help repeatedly. People are being killed. Our farms are now grazing fields for these invaders. Where is the government?”
Just this past week, eight people, including a traditional priestess performing rituals at the sacred Ohebe River in Udenu LGA, were kidnapped by unknown gunmen. Witnesses claim the abductors, heavily armed and dressed in military fatigue, stormed the riverbank where the worshippers were gathered and whisked them away into the bush.
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The kidnapping, which has sent shockwaves through the local community, came barely 24 hours after the release of 15 abductees in the nearby Ibagwa-Agu farm settlement in Nsukka. These victims, held in captivity for five days, recounted horrifying experiences of torture, hunger, and psychological trauma.
The APC insists that the Peter Mbah administration has not only failed to address the crisis but is also deliberately suppressing media coverage of these events.
“The government wants to project a false image of peace and stability. They want investors and the international community to see Enugu as safe. But this is at the expense of truth and the lives of ordinary citizens,” the party stated.
The stakeholders accused the government of silencing whistleblowers, intimidating journalists, and blacklisting media houses that report on killings and kidnappings. They alleged that some local radio stations were warned not to air discussions on the security situation in Uzo-Uwani and Isi-Uzo.
“This is dictatorship cloaked in civilian clothing,” said an APC leader who attended the meeting. “This administration is more concerned with image laundering than with governance.”
The party also berated the state’s much-celebrated Command and Control Centre for failing to extend its operational effectiveness beyond Enugu metropolis.
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“It is shameful that the state’s multimillion-naira Command and Control Centre cannot respond to distress calls or incidents beyond 10 kilometres from the capital city. The rural areas, where the majority of our people live, are completely exposed,” the communique noted.
The APC called on the government to decentralize security infrastructure and deploy rapid response units to rural communities.
Backing the party’s position, Senator Okey Ezea (Enugu North) voiced what many constituents feel: the North Senatorial Zone has been abandoned.
“Kidnappers and Fulani herdsmen have taken over our lands. Farmers cannot go to their farms. The schools are closing. The villages are emptying. What we are seeing is internal displacement on a scale never seen in Enugu,” the senator declared.
Ezea has repeatedly called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the affected LGAs or deploy special forces to restore order.
Amid the gloom, the APC stakeholders commended the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, for what they described as “pragmatic efforts” in attracting federal government projects and employment opportunities to the state.
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“Chief Uche Nnaji has shown true leadership by ensuring that Enugu youths benefit from national innovation programs and scholarships. While the state government is asleep, he is working,” the party said.
Nnaji, a prominent figure in the APC, has emerged as a rallying point for opposition to the Mbah administration’s handling of the security crisis.
Critics of the state government argue that what is unfolding in Enugu is not just a security failure but a systemic breakdown of public accountability.
From the repeated attacks on communities in Eha-Amufu to the serial abductions on Enugu roads, the government’s silence is fast becoming the loudest sound.
Human rights activists and civil society groups are also beginning to raise their voices. A coalition of civil society organizations under the banner “Enugu Lives Matter” is reportedly planning a peaceful protest in Enugu next week to demand action.
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“We cannot continue like this. If the government won’t speak up, we will. If the government won’t act, we will mobilize for self-defence,” said one of the organizers.
There are disturbing claims that some victims who attempt to report cases of abduction or violent attacks are being discouraged or threatened by security operatives.
A man whose brother was abducted in Uzo-Uwani recounted his experience: “When we went to report at the local police station, they told us not to say anything to the press. They said it would ‘escalate tensions.’ Meanwhile, the criminals are free, and we are prisoners in our own communities.”
The Enugu State Government, for its part, has so far issued only generic statements condemning “criminal elements” and promising to “work with security agencies to restore peace.” However, critics say these responses are reactive, vague, and lack substance.
Governor Peter Mbah, who came into office with a promise to prioritize security, is now facing a major test of leadership. His silence on the specific crises in Eha-Amufu, Uzo-Uwani, and Udenu is fueling speculations that the administration is either overwhelmed or complicit.
With the security situation worsening, many are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene decisively.
“The Enugu government has clearly lost control of its rural areas. The president must send in special forces to mop up these criminal gangs and restore order,” said a former police commissioner now retired in Nsukka.
Already, there are rumours that the military may soon launch “Operation Forest Clean-Up” in parts of Enugu and Benue border communities, but there has been no official confirmation.
Enugu is not alone. Across Nigeria’s southeast and Middle Belt regions, rural communities are grappling with waves of violence often blamed on criminal herdsmen, bandits, and separatist militias. What is unique in Enugu’s case, however, is the extent of official silence and media blackout.
Many fear that unless urgent steps are taken, Enugu may slip into the kind of protracted conflict zones now seen in Plateau, Benue, and Zamfara.
The rising insecurity in Enugu State has reached an inflection point. While the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken the lead in voicing concern, the silence from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the state government is both troubling and dangerous. If nothing is done, the humanitarian crisis brewing in Eha-Amufu and other rural communities may spiral out of control.
Governor Peter Mbah must decide whether to confront the crisis head-on or continue down a path of denial and suppression. The lives of thousands hang in the balance.
As one APC chieftain aptly put it during the weekend meeting, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. The government must speak, act, or step aside.”
