Youths of Anambra State on Monday accused the state government of paying lip service to their plight in the hands of Fulani herdsmen.

The youths, who spoke during a peaceful protest in Awka, the state capital, said that they will go on a reprisal attack if no urgent measure is taken to stop the menace.

They alleged that the attackers not only rape women in the community, but also kill farmers.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the protest, Secretary of the youths Anambra West Local Government Area of the state, Ikechukwu Onuorah, wondered why they would be asked to remain patient, while they continued to be butchered by visitors in their communities.

He said: “We are disappointed that the government is paying lip service to addressing the problem. Can people be sleeping in their farm settlements and homes while visitors will attack, kill and cut off their neck? It makes us look as if we are weak.

“We are just respecting Governor (Willie) Obiano; that is why we have not confronted the killer-herdsmen. We don’t want to create an embarrassing situation for him, but we expect him to act now.

“If they continue what they are doing, we will confront them and it will be bloody and I’m sure at the end of the clash no herdsman will ever come into Anambra West.”

The Coordinator of the youths, Mr. Odikpo Madubueze, on his part said that they cannot run away from their farms and villages because of people they decided to accommodate to do their cattle rearing business.

He added: “We don’t want to take laws into our hands, but the Federal and state governments shouldn’t allow us to match them violence for violence. They have killed many of our people and farmers have deserted their farms.

“It’s only few courageous farmers that go to farm in groups now, unlike before they go alone and even at that, they have always run out of the farms claiming to be pursued by the herdsmen.”

Some of the placards displayed by the protesters read: “We are running out of patience with the violent activities of Fulani herdsmen in Anambra West”, “Silent killings of our people by Fulani herdsmen our farms and villages still going on”, “Pushing us to the walls will bring mayhem, enough of the killings of our people.”

They also chanted songs, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the state Governor, Chief Obiano, to intervene by putting an end to any further killings in the area.

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