NOTHERN GOVS DEFEND FULANI, OHANEZE ISSUES ULTIMATUM AS HERDSMEN BRACE FOR ANOTHER ATTACK
In reaction to the gruesome attacks by the fulani herdsmen in Enugu communities, the Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC) has issued an ultimatum to all Hausa-Fulani herdsmen in seven Southern Nigerian States including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Imo and Rivers, to vacate their lands in 3 days. The directive was signed by the National Vice President of the group, Mazi Obinna Achuonye and the Chairmen of OYC.
In response, Fulani herdsmen and other pety traders of Northern extraction have vacated towns and cities in South-East. They have joined forces with the herdsmen who are currently regrouping in the forests around Amalla in Udenu Local Government and Umuogbo Agu and Ette border in Igboeze North Local Government areas of the state bracing for another attack, recall that Fulani herdsmen relocated their cattle from Uzo Uwani LGA and neighboring LGAs before hitting Nimbo.
Meanwhile, 19 Northern Governors have taken a strong exception to the branding of perpetrators of crimes around the country as Fulani.
The Governors, rising from a meeting in Kaduna yesterday, said inasmuch as they condemned the recent attacks by suspected herdsmen in Enugu and other parts of the country, it was out of place by anyone to label all criminals as Fulani
Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said it was an insult to consider criminals as Fulani.
He said: “We want to unequivocally condemn the recent killings in Enugu and other parts of the country. But we equally condemn the politicization or permit me, the ‘ethinicisation’ of the whole crisis,” the governor said.
“It goes beyond Fulani. If anything happens, they say Fulani herdsmen. To me, it is an insult besides Kidnapping in this country originated in the Southeast, were they called Igbo kidnappers? We have a great national challenge and we want to call on all and sundry to come and let us solve our common challenges as a people, because the blood of paternity that binds us together supersedes whatever differences that might divide us.” he said
