The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, South East Zone, has described the request by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to establish Fulani Youth Vigilantes in all communities in the South East zone as a preparation to invade Igbo land.

It, therefore, condemned in very strong terms the proposal which it said appeared like a confirmation of the rumoured hidden agenda of ‘Fulanisation and Islamisation of Nigeria; warning that any attempt to insult Igbos would be met with stiff resistance.

Daily Independent recalls that MACBAN, had Thursday in Enugu during the South-East Security Summit organised by the South-East Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, SECCIMA, in collaboration with South-East Governors Forum, SEGF, asked for permission to set up Fulani youths vigilante in every community in South East.

However, the demand has received condemnation and angry reactions from individuals and groups including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the pan Yoruba socio-cultural body, Afenifere which saw it as an affront on the generality of the Igbo nation.

In a strong-worded statement issued yesterday in Umuahia, the national vice president of the group, Prince Chibuike Echem, warned that Miyetti Allah would regret any move to invade any part of the South East.

The group, therefore, said that it would be summoning an emergency meeting of all youth bodies in South East next week, adding that the meeting scheduled in Enugu “will take a common position on the worrisome development”.

NYCN vowed to synergise with youth organisations in the South East to defend the zone against any invasion and wondered why the federal government is still treating herdsmen with kid gloves despite their classification as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world by the United States.

According to the youth body, “This is a prelude to invading the region by Fulani Herdsmen. The US government has emphatically categorised the Fulani Herdsmen as one of the worst terrorist organisations in the world.

“It is unfortunate that the federal government has treated this group with levity. Their notorious activities in the North especially North Central and North West have been that of agony and litany of woes”.

“The Igbo nation”, it said, “cannot condone such organisation in their backyard”, saying however that, “we will partner with all interest groups in Igbo land especially the association of community youth leaders in the South Eastern states to nip this move in the bud.”

The group body, therefore, urged governors in the zone not to succumb to any pressure to approve of the dangerous proposal but to remain united against any move to render the zone vulnerable.

“We urge our state Governors and political leaders to rise up to this occasion and defend the territory and integrity of the Igbo nation as a stitch in time saves nine”, the statement added. (Daily Independent)

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