An advocate group, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has condemned the attacks, killings of indigenes of Umuogudu Akpu-Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Council of Ebonyi State by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

FENRAD reacted through a statement duly signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, and Head of Legal Team, Barr. Olusegun Bamgbose, on Wednesday.

The group, while expressing sadness at the attacks on Egedege, Umuhuali, Obegu and Amezu, all in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State on Monday, April 12, 2021 lamented at the level of destruction of lives and properties.

FENRAD despite noting a release by Mr. Monday Uzor, the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, stating that the attack, contrary to different sources, was a fallout of age-long inter-communal clash between Ngbo people of Ebonyi and their Agila neighbours of Benue State and not the Fulani herdsmen, charged the government to take security as a priority.

The statement reads in part: “The attention of Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), an environmental and pro-democracy rights group, was sadly and recently drawn to the news of the incendiary attacks and killings of indigenes of Umuogudu Akpu-Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Council of Ebonyi State by yet-to-be identified gunmen.

“The killings, which happened in the wee small hours of Monday, April 12, 2021 tags along the recent sanguinary attack in the state, allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani armed herders against the communities of Egedege, Umuhuali, Obegu and Amezu, all in Ishielu LGA of the state just few days ago, during and in which lives (said to be in the neighbourhood of thirty or upwards) and properties were lost in addition to dislocation and displacement suffered by the locals.

“FENRAD obtained online a release by Mr. Monday Uzor, the press secretary to the deputy governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe which stated that the attack – contrary to different sources including from the grapevine – was not carried out by the Fulani herders but was a fallout of age-long inter-communal clash between Ngbo people of Ebonyi and their Agila neighbours of Benue State, according to what the release said was a ‘preliminary investigation’.”

The release further said that the state government is in contact with the state leadership (or state chapter) of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and that the cattle dealers’ society had affirmed its total commitment to peace in Ebonyi, distancing itself from the attack.

“As good as this sounds, FENRAD wishes to remind the state government to rise to the occasion and do the needful, the utmost too. Killings in the scale and size that have recently befallen the state insert a large question mark on state government’s role as custodian of lives and properties within Ebonyi. Killings should not follow one after the other with a domino effect while the elected churn out plethora of release that it ‘received with dismay’ news of the dastardly act only. Government should go beyond release to acting, and acting to save lives and properties as is its constitutional mandate,” FENRAD said.

While welcoming a proposal for 1,000-man vigilante formation across the state to safeguard local and rural communities, FENRAD urged the Umahi-led State Government and the Federal Government to get to the bottom of the security crises in the region, find out the remote causes of the conflict and ensure culprits face prosecutorial trials.