The family of Friday Odanwu is appealing to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and other well-meaning Nigerians for financial assistance to cover his medical expenses.
Friday Odanwu, a 33-year-old victim of the Fulani herdsmen attacks in Mgbuji, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, is currently fighting for his life at the Grace Foundation Hospital, Enugu.
On November 17, 2024, Odanwu was ambushed and attacked by Fulani militias while on his way to bring his step-brother from a farm settlement.
He has undergone multiple surgeries and requires further operations to save his life.
The family of Friday Odanwu is appealing to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and other well-meaning Nigerians for financial assistance to cover his medical expenses.
Odanwu's cousin, Ebubechukwu Ede, narrated the incident, highlighting the severity of the attack, which involved three assailants wielding guns and machetes.
"He was riding his motorcycle and on getting close to the farm settlement, Fulani herdsmen - three in number who were hiding on the bush path struck, they first attacked and immediately he fell off the bike, another one shot him," Ebubechukwu who spoke on behalf of his cousin narrated to SaharaReporters on Tuesday.
"They swooped on him, and butchered. When they felt he had died, they left him.
"It was round 10pm in the night that two hunters saw his body lying on the road and started calling out that Fulani herdsmen had killed him and that we should come and carry his corpse.
"When we got there, he had lost a lot of blood. They cut his throat, they butchered him, gave him several cuts on his head, cut his upper jaw and left hand. They further shot him on the leg as you can see."
"The doctor said that he will go for two more surgical operations and he had undergone several operations. We need financial assistance. Anything the government can do for us we need it."
Lamenting the attack, Ebubechukwu explained that when they brought him to National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu that night, they only stabilised him and referred them to Parklane Hospital - the State Teaching Hospital, where they were rejected.
He regretted that when they got to ESUT Parklane, doctors on duty ignored them adding that the only thing one of the doctors told them was to go and buy drips and fluids, and thereafter, "They referred us back to Orthopedic Hospital".
"When we got back to Orthopedic, they told us that they could not handle the case and thereafter, referred us to this private hospital. Here the doctors have conducted several surgical operations and more are yet to be performed."
Ebube appealed to government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid, noting that for the past one week the incident happened no one from government or security agencies have even come to inquire how the attack happened.
"The bill the hospital gave us is too much. Whatever the government can do to help us let them do. Again government should find a lasting solution to this problem."
Collaborating the earlier report that prior to the recent resurgence of attacks by herdsmen whom he said are attacking them with some residents of neighbouring Benue State, he said that before renewed attacks soldiers deployed to the community were withdrawn. "We don't know the reason for that but immediately after they were withdrawn the resurgence of attacks and killing started."
This incident is not an isolated one.
There have been numerous attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, resulting in significant loss of life and property.
The conflict between farmers and herders has been ongoing, with the Fulani people being largely nomadic and requiring fertile lands for their herds.
SaharaReporters reported on Sunday how, another body of farmer killed by herdsmen was recovered amid the alarming tension.