A group under the aegis of Igbo National Union Worldwide, INU-W, has urged all State Houses of Assembly in the Southeast region to promulgate laws prohibiting open grazing in order to tackle the menace of herdsmen attacks in the zone.
The group also called on communities in the region to form vigilante outfits for the protection of farmlands and to put an end to incessant killings and the raping of women.
INU-W observed that recent happenings have proved that the activities of armed herdsmen are beyond the power of the security agencies, as they cannot arrest or prosecute even a single armed herdsman.
The call was made by the group’s National President, Ngozi Ogbomor, and its Administrative Secretary, Austin Mary Ndukwu, in a press statement made available to journalists.
The group frowned at what it described as incessant security breaches and violations of human rights by the herdsmen in the five Eastern states and beyond.
In the press statement, INU-W suggested that the best measure to stop the carnage by the terrorists disguising themselves as herders is for the people of the region to come together and form a formidable force to stave off the terrorists.
It also suggested that the State Houses of Assembly in the Southeast region should enact laws prohibiting open grazing.
“In recent times, the five core Igbo states – Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi – have witnessed countless series of attacks by the murderous terrorists masquerading as herdsmen of the Fulani tribe.
“Are we going to fold our hands and pretend that nothing is really happening while they continue to kill us, rape our women, destroy our farmlands and other valuable properties? We should not fold our hands, but rise with full force to stop the carnage and defend ourselves,” the release stated.
INU-W regretted that the carnage in Igbo land has unfortunately gotten out of control, as security agencies and the government of the day seem to be inactive.
“It is on this premise that Igbo National Union Worldwide is beckoning on Igbo stakeholders – traditional rulers, leadership of town unions, youth bodies, captains of industries, business moguls, market leaders, women and students’ leaders – to rise and defend Igbo land against Fulani terrorists,” the group reiterated.
