Tension and confusion in Anambra state following the alleged disappearance of seven hunters in Amanuke Community of Awka North local government area.
Reports from a dealer in bush meats who never wanted his name on print said that business is no longer booming following the fears being entertained by hunters that their colleagues are being attacked by suspected gunmen and herders hence they no longer carry out the routine hunting expedition.
Another dealer Mrs Rebecca Muolokwu lamented that the cost of antelopes and grass cutters have skyrocketed due to the scarcity of meat,
According to her, the dealers had to hike the price to meet up with the cost of purchasing those meats.
“We used to buy one full grass cutter at the cost of N25,000.00 then add cost of transportation but today we buy at the cost of N35,000.00 “
“When acquired from the hunters they told us about the attacks by gunmen and Fulani Herdsmen and that seven of their colleagues have been missing for one month now and that there is no clue of there where about in Amanuke “
“Allegations of the seven hunters being killed by gunmen or the Fulani Herdsmen cannot be substantiated however there has been several reported incidents of the deadly activities of gunmen and Fulani Herdsmen between Awka North local government area and Ayamelum local government area as the two Council areas share both farmlands and the Ezu – Omabala River in Anambra North Senatorial District”she Said.
When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the command is not aware of the alleged incident.
Similarly the Anambra state Commissioner for Homeland Matters Chief Chikodi Anarah who is a son of Amanuke Community contended that the story cannot be true noting that hunters in his home town don’t hunt together or as a group.
“That story is false because hunters in my place do not hunt in groups and you said seven hunters and one wonders if they kept a herd of animals in the bush that would make them hunt together”
“In my place every hunter goes alone to where he hunts and this is the same in the olden days and you cannot find two hunters going together because in those days the have their respective zones where they hunt and if one enters another hunter’s zone he can get killed by the hunter that owns that zone “
“Well that doesn’t for close the story because I am going to make investigations and carry out my study to know if this is true and after that I will get back to you” he said
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