Residents of Nde village in the Ikom Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State have lamented that they were brutalised by soldiers over the sacking of Fulani herdsmen who were terrorising the area.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, residents narrated that the soldiers flogged no fewer than 10 youths for daring to prevent the herders from grazing.
They claimed that the youths “pleaded with the herdsmen” to leave their land after their cattle destroyed almost all their produce.
They added that consequently, soldiers from the Amphibious battalion allegedly arrived in the community and beat the youths mercilessly, leaving them with serious injuries, for asking the herdsmen to leave.
“The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
“Soldiers from the barracks came in truckloads on Sunday, rounded up youths and took them to the barracks, flogged them severely, leaving them injured.
“Our community is currently on fire as military men dehumanised the youths with the intent to provoke us but we pleaded with the herdsmen to leave our land after destroying our crops to avoid further attacks,” a villager said.
The Nigerian Army has yet to officially react to the invasion by its personnel.
(Saharareporters)