Igbo women oppose grazing area in S-East, says its licence to kill indigenes
(Nigeria) Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, has opposed any move to
create grazing areas or ranches for Fulani herdsmen in the South East, noting
that doing so, was a tacit approval to the herdsmen to kill Igbo well as rape
their wives and daughters.
IWA said that the only one sensible way forward was for
Nigeria to be restructured now, adding that “intimidation will not work,
neither will false accusations.”
The women while reacting to the latest killing of farmers at
Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday, in a
statement by the National President of IWA, Chief Marie Okwo, lamented what they described as
the audacity of the herdsmen in killing innocent Nigerians across since
President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office about 10 months ago, the extra
–judicial killing of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by
security agents among others issues facing the zone.
Okwo said, “Not long ago, 76 people from Ugwuleshi in Awgu
Local Government Area of Enugu State, were arrested by the Nigerian Army and
taken to Umuahia, Abia State, which is another area of jurisdiction.
“Their offence was that they tried to defend their farm land
from being destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen. It was through the intervention of
the Governor of Enugu State that those poor farmers were later released on
bail.
“The extra-judicial killing of the Independent People of
Biafra, IPOB, members between November 2015 and February 2016, in Port
Harcourt, Aba and Onitsha is condemned by IWA.
“This unresolved, cold-blooded murder of Eastern youths,
coupled with the provocative brigandage of Fulani in recent times may have
probably emboldened the Director of State Services, DSS, to publicly lay a
charge of abduction and murder on the IPOB for effect.
“This accusation of killing and burying of five northerners
(in a shallow grave), if true, is wrong and IWA condemns it, and would want the
culprits brought to early justice.
“If, however, the accusation is false, then, it must be said
as succinctly as possible that the DSS has taken a very dangerous route that
will not only lay the foundation for eventual disintegration of Nigeria but
ensures that a needless bloodbath accompanies the mayhem. The DSS intends to
prop up mutual suspicion and spur ethnic hatred.
“Our message to the APC government is clear, short and
precise. The quest to intimidate, oppress and silence Eastern Nigeria will not
succeed. The dream of conquering our people through hatred and threat of
genocide will not work. We cannot be islamised.
“There is only one sensible route open to Nigeria, which is
to restructure the country now. Intimidation will not work; neither will false
accusations. This is a time bomb waiting
to explode. IWA says NO to Grazing Reserves or Ranches and grazing routes in
Igbo land.
‘Any attempt to acquire, seize and (or) occupy our ancestral
lands for Fulani herdsmen to facilitate the killings of our people and raping
of our women and daughters will be highly resisted.
“On the night of April 24, 2016, while villagers were
asleep, Fulani herdsmen struck, killing several people, and setting churches
and cars ablaze. The DSS is yet to react to these heinous crimes. For how long
must our people continue to suffer in the hands of herdsmen?”
IWA called on Buhari and the security agencies to treat the
Fulani menace with the urgency it requires.
“We cannot continue to tolerate these unprovoked attacks on
our people. It may lead to total, uncontrollable anarchy.”
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