Ebonyi Governor Approves ₦1.1 Million Compensation for Victims of Amagu-Nkalaha Herdsmen Attack
Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has approved a compensation package of ₦1.1 million for each victim of the February 2, 2025, suspected herdsmen attack on Amagu-Nkalaha community in Ishielu Local Government Area, an assault that claimed at least 16 lives, razed 25 houses, and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, August 13, by the State Deputy Governor and Chairperson of the Interstate Boundaries Committee, Princess Patricia Onyemaechi Obila, during a meeting with Ishielu stakeholders and survivors of the attack at her office in Abakaliki.
The deputy governor said the gesture was part of the administration’s commitment to providing relief to grieving families while pursuing lasting peace and security in affected areas. She explained that the money would be given to profiled victims to help them begin rebuilding their lives.
The February 2 attack has been described as one of the deadliest incidents of rural violence in Ebonyi State in recent years. According to community leaders and security reports, armed assailants believed to be Fulani herdsmen stormed Amagu-Nkalaha in the early hours of the morning, shooting indiscriminately, killing residents, and setting homes ablaze. By the time the attackers retreated, 16 people were dead, including women, children, and elderly residents. Survivors fled into nearby bushes, many barefoot and without possessions.
One survivor, a trader named Agnes Ibe, recalled waking to gunshots and screams, seeing flames and chaos everywhere. She escaped only because a neighbour pulled her into the bush, but her brother was not as fortunate. The community was left devastated, with barns, motorcycles, and livestock destroyed or stolen.
In response, the state government deployed security forces to the area and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. The compensation package is part of a broader relief initiative that includes direct disbursement of funds into victims’ bank accounts, reinforcement of security in Ishielu, and future developmental projects in Amagu-Nkalaha, contingent on sustained peace. The formal disbursement is scheduled for Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Ishielu Local Government Headquarters.
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The deputy governor appealed to both the Nkalaha people and the Fulani herdsmen in the area to maintain peace, stressing that only in a peaceful environment can development occur. Security experts note that Ishielu has long been a flashpoint due to its interstate boundary location, which allows armed groups to exploit weak rural policing and porous borders.
For survivors, the ₦1.1 million represents a starting point for recovery, but many have lost their means of livelihood and face years of rebuilding. Local farming has been disrupted, and the planting season has passed without most residents being able to return to their fields. Humanitarian groups have been providing food and clothing, but economic recovery will be slow.
The attack is part of a wider pattern of herder-farmer clashes across Nigeria, driven by resource competition, environmental changes, weak security, and ethnic tensions. Ebonyi State has seen similar violence before, including a 2021 attack in Ishielu that killed more than a dozen people.
Reactions to the governor’s move have been mixed. The Ebonyi State Farmers’ Union welcomed the payment as a humanitarian step but urged the government to establish permanent security posts in vulnerable areas. Opposition politicians have criticised the gesture as inadequate and reactive. Human rights groups have praised the direct-payment model but called for transparent auditing to ensure that all victims receive their due.
Whether the gesture will translate into long-term stability remains uncertain. Security analysts insist that addressing root causes such as land disputes and the absence of effective conflict-resolution mechanisms is essential to breaking the cycle of violence. For now, the people of Amagu-Nkalaha are preparing for the compensation ceremony, hoping it will be the first step toward rebuilding their homes, livelihoods, and sense of security.
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