…As 60 poisonous weapons are intercepted in Anambra
From Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia and Obinna Odogwu, Ekwulobia
Management of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State has debunked rumours of epidemic in some parts of the state as a result of consumption of poisonous beef from cows injected with poisonous substance by Fulani herdsmen.
Medical Director of the centre, Dr Chuku Abali debunked insinuations that cow meat in the state was poisoned by Fulani herdsmen.
He added that the centre is strategically positioned and empowered to detect, treat and announce any outbreak of epidemic, when it is clinically confirmed.
The Medical Director, Dr Abali stated this when he interacted with Daily Sun in Umuahia on rumours of the epidemic.
He urged Abians, particularly those from Amaekpu Ohafia, where the reference was made and Nigerians to disregard such information and added that no team of doctors from his hospital conducted autopsy on some people who allegedly died of the said epidemic and discovered that death was as a result of consumption of beef from cows injected with deadly poison by Fulani herdsmen.
Abali said the rumour mill had it that 13 people had lost their lives as a result of the poison and that the action was targeted at reducing the population of South Eastern people of Nigeria, and also debunked that a group of doctors from his hospital led by one Dr Ifeanyi Felix O. conducted autopsy on the victims to make the discovery.
He described the rumour as “malicious and wicked” and added that there is no Dr Ifeanyi Felix O. employed by the hospital in anatomical pathology department or in any other department in the hospital.
In another development, a bloody attack was averted in Oraukwu community in Idemmili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday, as community vigilante members allegedly intercepted about 60 poisonous bows, arrows and sharp cutlass laced with suspected poisonous elements at Ubana farmland in Dim-Ubana village.
Commander of the vigilante, Mr Dona Enenebeaku, told Daily Sun that some suspected Fulani herdsmen stormed the community in the twilight of Monday with dangerous weapons but were pursued by his team who intercepted their dangerous weapons.
“One of my vigilante members was on patrol. So on getting to Ubana, he saw two Fulani herdsmen. One was carrying a sealed bag and some weapons while the other was carrying bows and arrows. He called me on phone to rush down to the bush with our team.
“They had seen him from a distance. So, while he was making the call, they dumped their heavy weapons and ran away. Before we arrived, they had disappeared into the bush.
“We later combed the bush searching for them but, they had escaped.” We collected the bows, arrows and other dangerous weapons they dumped. There are more than 50 bows and arrows in our custody…” he said.
It is clear to us that those Fulani people intended to attack our community. Those two might be their messengers. What are two of them doing with over 50 dangerous weapons in our farmland at that time? We have warned our people to be cautious.”
The President-General of the community, Mr. Cyril Ejidike, confirmed the incident to our reporter but added that they’ve beefed up security in the area.
Contacted, Anambra Police spokesman, Ali Alphonsus Okechukwu, whispered to our reporter on the telephone that he was in a meeting and wouldn’t talk but didn’t reply to a text message sent to him as at the time of filing this report.
The MD of the tertiary health care and research institution explained that the institution is strategically positioned and empowered to detect , treat and if need be announce any outbreak of any epidemic when it is clinically confirmed, which his hospital has not done.
“But in this case, no epidemic of such has been detected , treated nor announced by us or any of our team of doctors,” Chuku said.
Rumour has been making rounds in some parts of Abia advising Nigerians to desist from consumption of beef because Fulani herdsmen have injected cows with poisonous substances that are now killing people.