A socio-cultural group has charged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, remove and prosecute the Chief of Army Staff, Director-General of DSS, Inspector-General of Police, GOC 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police for criminal/treasonable collusion and dereliction of duty, during the cold-blood massacre of defenceless citizens in Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State by Fulani herdsmen-terrorists. They called for the declaration of a state of emergency on the activities of the terrorist-Fulani hersmen.

The group which comprises professionals of diverse background within Nigeria and the Diaspora strongly condemned the cold-blood massacre, once again, of defenceless citizens by marauding Fulani herdsmen-terrorists, with the connivance of security forces.

In a statement signed by Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, president and Lawrence Nwobu, secretary of Igbo Ekunie Initiative, the group noted that by last count, more than 100 persons lost their lives, countless others maimed, while churches and properties were burnt during the onslaught, without any intervention by the police nor the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army stationed at Enugu.

Maazi Ezeoke remonstrated: “Reports from various sources have confirmed that as these terrorist attacks were going on, colluding Federal Government security services - the Nigerian Army, DSS and Nigeria Police – refused to intervene to stop the carnage. We submit that the most important constitutional responsibility of a state is the protection of lives and property. But, when the same state and its agents now take sides with terrorists on tribal grounds to facilitate the slaying of other citizens, it constitutes not only a treasonable abdication of duty but also a violation of international statutes against terrorism and a crime against humanity.

“We note that it’s not the first time the Federal Government and the security services have openly aided and abetted Fulani herdsmen-terrorists as they massacre citizens across the country. Most recently it happened in Agatu, Benue State, in Awgu, Enugu State and, now again, in Uzo-Uwani. This is a very dangerous route that previously led to the Nigerian Civil War, and that can only lead to anarchy. We have, accordingly, lost faith in the Federal Government’s commitment to respecting its constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of all citizens.”

Unimpressed with the Federal Government’s lack of response to the country-wide problem of rampaging Fulani herdsmen, which has rendered countless communities and farmers homeless, the group made the following demands:

*That the Federal Government should immediately declare a state of emergency against the terrorist activities of Fulani herdsmen, disarm the errant herdsmen and arrest culprits implicated in the Enugu massacre and other atrocities across the nation;

*the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, remove and prosecute Chief of Army Staff, Director-General of DSS, Inspector-General of Police, GOC 82 Division, Enugu and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police for criminal/treasonable collusion and dereliction of duty;

*government should immediately overhaul and restructure the Army, DSS, Police and other security services in view of professionalising them;

*henceforth all movement of cows and herdsmen should be by trucks or by train as the case maybe and the herdsmen should enter negotiations with states and or local governments to lease land (subject to its renewal every year) where secured ranches could be established for the purposes of restraining cows within the said ranches;

*arrangement to lease land for ranches in any state of the country should be purely a private affair between the herdsmen and the state or local governments, like all other private businesses and, as such, no federal commission should be created for that purpose;

*Federal Government should pay adequate compensation to victims and families of Fulani terrorist attacks and provide funds for the reconstruction of all such ravaged communities;

*Federal Government should urgently begin the framework for the establishment of State Police, to enable a more effective means for the protection of lives and property by states in the federation;

*Federal Government should as a matter of urgency either organise a Sovereign National Conference or implement the 2014 National Conference report, as a strategy to tackle the nation’s growing existential crisis.

Igbo Ekunie Initiative also called on state governors to evolve well-trained and equipped local vigilante service to protect the villages, even as it suggested a total boycott of beef as an interim measure. The group charged communities within the frontlines to be vigilant and to take all necessary proactive steps to defend themselves by any means necessary against invading terrorists.

•Photo shows President Buhari.

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