Archbishop of Methodist Archdiocese of Enugu, Rev. Christopher Edeh, has said the attack on some communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by suspected herdsmen, which left over 25 people dead and properties burnt, has exposed the porous security in the South East zone. Speaking with Saturday Telegraph on telephone, Edeh, who bemoaned the attack, described it as conspiracy against South East and urged the people to wake up from slumber to secure their areas.

The clergic who is from the local government area, said the time has come for the issue of regional security in the zone to be taken seriously so as to secure the people. He called for vigilance and intelligence sharing in the rural areas in the zone to prevent further attacks.

“I strongly condemn the attack on Ishielu residents by suspected herdsmen and call for inquiry into what really happened,’’ he said. “The attack just tells you the porous nature of security in the South East and I think that the time has come for the issue of regional security and ensure that it is not a thing of joke.

We need protection. We already have small protection but they don’t seem to solve the problem”. Adding that: ‘‘The security agencies must do everything to ensure that those who perpetrate this act are brought to book because this thing is a conspiracy. Ebonyi people must reconsider their position on the issue of the presence of herdsmen in all local government areas in the state because what happened in Ishielu is a conspiracy as all the herdsmen in Ishielu left before the attack.

‘‘The herdsmen all knew about the attack. You can’t live in people’s house and conspire against them, massacre them and come back to live with them anymore. “The vigilante in the state should ensure that they use every means to secure our localities because these days security is no more about using guns, intelligence is very important. The government should be able to provide intelligence which will enable people to understand what is going on before it happens. I am sure this thing was planned and it was shameful that nobody knew when these herdsmen left. How could they have left without anybody knowing that they were leaving? This is very sad. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy of Saturday Telegraph)

Update news