In this true-life story, read how Catholic priest narrowly escaped being kidnapped at the hands of Fulani marauders in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Fr God’swill Agbagwa, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE) narrates his ordeal.
“Last month, I was in Abuja for a meeting. After the meeting, I flew into Imo state to celebrate Chrism mass with my brother priests in Owerri.
“While in Owerri, I was invited to address FUTO students preparing for 6 months IT. I went with the deacon at the parish where I usually stay whenever I am in Imo state.
“After the FUTO event, the deacon suggested that we return to Owerri through Ihiagwa road. I have not taken that road to FUTO before, but the deacon, who was driving, convinced me. It did not take long before we ran into a horrible road. There was no way to drive through the road.
“As we tried to reverse, a young man standing-by approached us and asked whether we were going to Owerri. We said ‘yes’. The young man showed us a road and encouraged us to use the road. “It is motorable and safe”, he said.
” We turned and followed the road. After a few minutes’ drive, I noticed how lonely the road was and started feeling unsafe. As we drove further, we saw three armed men led by a young man dressed in a kingly robe walking toward us. I asked the deacon to stop. I pulled down my window and greeted the men. Before I could ask them whether the road led to Owerri, they told us to reverse immediately and leave the area because we were in ‘Fulani killer-herdsmen territory.’
“Fulani killer-herdsmen territory in Imo state?
“We reversed immediately. After a minute’s drive, I looked at the mirror and noticed that the young men were waving at us. We stopped and drove back a little to meet them since they were walking. Then, they asked us: “Did anybody tell you to use this road?” I said, ‘yes’, a young man at the market. They screamed: “Ah, thank your God, you met us. The young man that told you to use this road is the agent of the “Fulani killer-herdsmen”.
“As soon as he got you guys on this road, he left to give the killer-herdsmen details about you guys. Just pay attention at the market when you get there. The young man that told you to use this road will not be there when you get there. He left through an appian way – as you guys drove to this direction – to identify you guys for the “Fulani killer-herdsmen”.
“They were right. When we arrived at the market, we looked around, but the young man was not there.
” As we drove to Owerri through Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, I kept reflecting on the statement: Fulani killer-herdsmen territory in Imo state.
“How did we get here? How can we have “Fulani killer-herdsmen territory in Imo state?”
“I left Imo state on Easter Sunday and returned to the United States. Since then, no day has passed without a story or two about “Fulani killer-herdsmen” attacking someone or a community in Imo state.
“Now I hear that the “Fulani killer-herdsmen” are all over Imo state. I hear that they kill men, rape women, destroy farms and dance on the graves of their victims. No one seems to care.
“It looks like Imo state has been returned to the *state of nature. In the state of nature, you are on your own. You either defend yourself or you perish! “, he said.