Terrorists shot dead farmer Ogechukwu Mba on his farmland in Onolieze community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, on February 20, 2026.
Community leaders immediately condemned the killing as part of a relentless campaign of terror that has displaced families and paralyzed farming across the agrarian settlement.
Moreover, residents organized a peaceful protest on Saturday to demand government protection, yet soldiers stormed the demonstration, dispersed the crowd, and intimidated villagers instead of hunting down the attackers.
Malachi Onyia signed a strongly worded statement on behalf of the Concerned Stakeholders of Onolieze Community and released it Tuesday.
“We lost one of our gallant officers from Onoli, Mr. Ogechukwu Mba, who was shot by Fulanis in his farmland,” the statement declares.
Furthermore, the stakeholders described sustained terrorist assaults that have turned ancestral lands into “a theater of unprovoked violence,” forced productive farmers to abandon their fields out of fear, and inflicted “senseless loss of lives, displacement of families, and systematic destruction of the community’s social fabric.”
The statement continues without hesitation:
“This is more than a security breach; it is an assault on the dignity, safety, and fundamental right to life of peaceful citizens.”
Community sources added that soldiers labeled the protesting youths as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) while hounding them, even though the demonstrators sought only basic protection from further attacks.
Additionally, the stakeholders listed urgent demands.
They called for immediate tactical deployment of security forces to the affected areas, closer intelligence collaboration between agencies and local residents, the establishment of a mini Army barracks or full police division in the Onolieze axis, and concrete measures to restore confidence so displaced farmers can safely return to their lands.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, stated he remained unaware of the killing when contacted.
Efforts to reach Army officials for comment on the soldiers’ actions proved unsuccessful as calls went unanswered.
This latest outrage fits a disturbing pattern.
Terrorists have repeatedly struck farming communities in the region, cutting short the lives of residents whom locals now honor as heroes and heroines.
Families in neighboring villages have fled their homes in panic, and many farms now stand deserted.
The stakeholders warned that civilian resilience has limits and urged both the Enugu State and federal governments to act decisively before more blood stains the hills of Awgu.
Residents pray for the repose of Ogechukwu Mba’s soul and extend deepest empathy to his grieving family. Yet they insist that prayers alone will not suffice.
Only swift, visible protection from the authorities can end the cycle of terror and allow peaceful citizens to till their lands without the constant shadow of death.
