Ohaneze Youth Council gives all Fulani herdsmen until Monday to leave Igboland or be ejected

SOCIO-cultural organisation the Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC) has given Fulani herdsmen operating across the southeast until Monday next week to vacate Igboland or be forced out by its vigilante groups.

 

Last Monday,  about 48 people were killed when the Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State was attacked by Fulani herdsmen. It has sparked a wave of anger nationally and internationally, with the government under pressure to address the matter that has now become commonplace across Nigeria.

 

Across Igboland in particular, tempers are very frayed and the OYC decided to meet up to address the matter. Following their meeting, the OYC issued a statement signed by Mazi Obinna Achuonye, its vice chairman and the chairmen of its chapters in the seven Igbo-speaking states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Imo and Rivers.

 

Mazi Achuonye said: “Herdsmen are off-shoots of Boko Haram and must not be allowed any breeding ground in Igboland. Any herdsman who fails to quit the southeast by Monday will have himself to blame.

 

“Never again will Igbo youths fold their arms and watch our people being massacred by blood-sucking terrorists under the guise of herdsmen. Urgent times need drastic measure and we warn all violent Fulani herdsmen to vacate our farmland, our backyards, our territories and boundaries on or before Monday next week."

 

He added that even though Ohanaeze Ndigbo will meet over the weekend to discuss this menace, Igbo youths will not wait until their people are massacred again before taking action. According to the OYC, its intelligence unit has uncovered plans by the Fulani herdsmen to attack Ebonyi State next.

 

“If after Monday the herdsmen are still around, we will direct Igbo vigilante groups set up by the OYC in all the 95 local government areas in the southeast to force them out. We have uncovered plots that their next target is Ebonyi State and they are coming Taraba State to attack, so we want the governor and all the security agents in the state to be alert,” Mazi Achuonye added.

 

He disclosed that the OYC is collaborating with Ijaw and Middle Belt youths on how to defend their people since the current administration has failed to do so. According to Mazi Achuonye Ijaw youths and Middle Belt progressives are already waiting for the expiration of the deadline on Monday.