Armed herdsmen destroy IYM founder, Elliot Uko’s farm in Enugu

Armed herders on Friday, invaded the farm of Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, founder of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) at Nike, Enugu State, destroying crops, killing chicken in what seemed to be a premeditated attack.

The herders, witnesses said, broke into the fenced settlement which houses crops and poultry farms, killed some chickens and led cows to eat up vegetables before leaving.

Narrating the incident to our correspondent who contacted him on Friday evening, Uko said the herders ruined everything on the farm before leaving in the morning hours of the day.

According him, “Armed Fulani herdsmen deliberately breached my fence by breaking down the wall, led their cattle right into my poultry Farm, violated my Farm, and destroyed all they could. They had quite a field day.”

Evangelist Uko who also serves as the Secretary of the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), said the invasion seemed like a planned attack, even as he expressed worry over the possibility of the herders returning a second time to the farm he established in 2009.

“My Farm, established 2009, twelve years ago, is located at Ugwuomu Nike. Fifteen minutes drive from the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu,” he said.

“Their cows defecated all over my Farm, ate up the vegetable, marched over and ruined almost everything in their way, and marched out this morning, probably to make a return later.

Herders broke fence to access Uko’s farm

“A lot of people believe this could be a calculated enemy action. I however, will continue to stand on the truth, regardless.”

Uko, a fervent advocate for restructuring, has in recent months been demanding accountability from political leaders in the country, both at the national and regional through articles he shares on his Facebook page.

Some of his revelations had unsettled some individuals whom he said, were targeting him.