Abians, including a prominent traditional ruler, has urged the federal government to tame rampaging Fulani herdsmen before they plunge Nigeria into another civil war.
The Traditional Ruler of Umuanyi Autonomous Community, His Royal Highness, Eze Cletus Uwadiegwu Ogbonnaya, who was reacting to the havoc being wreaked by Fulani herdsmen in the South East and other parts of the country, said time has come for the federal government to disarm the Fulani herdsmen and probe their sources of acquiring the deadly weapons they are using to kill, maim, destroy and terrorise communities.
Reacting specifically to the alleged killing of about 50 persons in Ukpabi Nimbo community of Uzo Uwani local government area of Enugu state on Monday, Eze Uwadiegwu described the tragedy as unfortunate. “It is unfortunate,” he said.
“The silence of the federal government over the menace of the Fulani herdsmen is worrisome. This was how the Boko Haram started and government treated it with kid gloves until it became a national menace.
“So, I am calling on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to take drastic action to disarm these so-called Fulani herdsmen and then find out the source of their weapons,” the royal father said.
“From where do they get this AK47 rifles which is not a dane gun or double barrel guns. From where do they get it?
“It still baffles me that up till this moment, the federal government maintains that it does not know the source of these arms of the Boko Haram people and this one is happening now and nobody seems to care.”
The monarch who is a veteran journalist warned that “blood is thicker than water” and enjoined President Buhari “to do everything” to disarm the Fulani herdsmen,” saying: “Otherwise, they will make the country ungovernable and nobody is safe.”
He added: “Look at what happened in Nimbo. What happened in Nimbo could happen in any other place. That is why I am crying out myself because my home, Umuanyi Autonomous Community was erroneously mentioned by the Department of Security Service that the Fulani herdsmen who are so killed by Indigenous People of Biafra that it happened in my home. There is no Umuanyi forest where that thing happened.”
A social commentator, Uche Nwofor, also expressed worry that the Federal Government, by failing to tackle the menace of the herdsmen, imply that it values the life of animals above human beings.
According to him, the scenario has been that when communities complain about the nefarious activities of herdsmen, nobody listens but immediately the herdsmen complain of harassment, security operatives swoop on such communities.
A community leader, Dike Uche, expressed sadness that the Fulani herdsmen were being used to push Nigeria into another war. He said several communities have been devasted by the hersdmen who also kill, maim destroy houses, abduct people and rape women.
“We are being treated like third rate citizens in our own communities. How can settlers become powerful that owners of the land?” he queried.
Meanwhile, the Abia State House of Assembly Wednesday passed a resolution directing the leadership of the Hausa Fulani and cattle rearers in the state to appear before it next week Wednesday for an interaction on peaceful coexistence with their host communities.
The resolution followed a matter of urgent public importance presented by the Minority Leader, Chibuzor Okogbuo, on the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the state and the need to check their excesses.
The resolution also mandated security agencies in the state to search thoroughly, all vehicles conveying cattle and food items into the state to ensure that they dot carry weapons.
It called on traditional rulers to sensitise their subjects on the activities of the herdsmen and equally engage the cattle rearers in dialogue to encourage peaceful coexistence with the settlers.
According to the House, Abia residents should be proactive and promptly report unwholesome activities of Fulani herdsmen in their areas.
