ONITSHA—The leader of the Hausa community in Anambra State, Haruna Garba has attributed the current spate of insecurity in the southeast region to the infiltration of criminal elements into the activities of herdsmen and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

According to the Hausa leader, “Most of the Hausa people have been cohabiting with Ndigbo here in Anambra State for years in a peaceful and convivial atmosphere before the formation of IPOB and infiltration of criminals into them and ever since then, people in this part of the country have never known peace.

“Also, Fulani herdsmen have over the years been coming into the southeast with their cattle without qualms but since the infiltration of the murderous ones into their midst, peace has equally eluded the people in this part of the country.

Garba contended that even during the era of the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, their members were visible and they were doing their agitation in a non-violent manner and everywhere was peaceful to the extent that their leader, Ralph Uwazuruike was friendly with northern leaders up north but ever since the emergence of IPOB, some bad elements infiltrated into them and the security atmosphere degenerated.

He said he was not unmindful of the fact that some bad elements also infiltrated into Fulani herdsmen and caused security threats to farmers in the southeast region, adding that it was for this reason that former Governor Willie Obiano established Cattle Menace Control Committee to mediate into any possible crisis that may arise between the herders and farmers in their various host communities.

He, therefore, advised Governor Chukwuma Soludo to sustain former Governor Willie Obiano’s Cattle Menace Control Committee which has all the service chiefs in the state with representatives of Hausa and Igbo communities as members and which made it mandatory that any Fulani herdsman who destroys farmland will pay the monetary value of the crops, just like any Igboman who kill a cattle will pay for it.

The Ogilisi Igbo, Rommy Ezeonwuka, summarized his own opinion by saying: “Only two things will take care of insecurity in Igbo land: evacuation of all the corpses from our mortuaries and burying them so that their wandering ghosts will rest in peace and stop tormenting the living. The restless ghosts of the dead bodies littered all over the mortuaries possessed our living youths and force them to indulge in all sorts of criminal activities.”

Secondly, Ezeonwuka added: ” Let the authorities concerned consult me because I have the magic wand.”

Also, a community at Oba, Idemmili South Local Government area of Anambra State, Nze Dozie Nweke noted that Fulani herdsmen are being fingered in the kidnapping activities because they live inside the bush with their cattle.

Nweke contended that in as much as there could be bad elements and criminals from Igbo land who are operating in various parts of Biafra land, the fact that the herdsmen live inside the bush with their cattle and terrorize our farmers and motorists is enough evidence to suggest that they constitute the majority of the criminals in Igbo land.” (VANGUARD)

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