Residents of Ataroga, a border community between Ebonyi and Benue states, are living in fear following the killing of more than 40 cows by unidentified gunmen. The incident reportedly took place last Sunday.Ataroga is an Izzi-speaking community located in Ado Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.Since the attack, the community has been largely abandoned, with many houses damaged and properties looted.
A video of the incident has been circulating widely on social media, showing residents appealing for the intervention of security agencies and the government.In the footage, a man speaking Izzi, a dialect from Ebonyi State, is seen pleading for help. He says the Izzi people in Ataroga, Benue, are facing serious danger over an act they did not commit. He insists that the community was not responsible for the killing of the cows.
He calls on the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, to come to their aid before they are wiped out for something they know nothing about.According to him, it was members of the Igede community who carried out the attack. He claims they invaded Ataroga around 4 a.m. on Sunday, killed the cows, chased away herdsmen, and left the Izzi residents to face the consequences.
He further alleges that people are being killed, houses are being destroyed, and properties are being looted, while herdsmen are burning homes and attacking residents. The man also states that many lives have already been lost and appeals to the Izzi people in Ebonyi State to come to their rescue, saying there is no one else to intervene for them. As of the time this report was filed, some community members had been arrested by security agencies, and tension in the area remains high.
