RE: UNPROVOKED MASSACRE
OF OUR PEOPLE AT NIMBO, UZOWANI LGA, ENUGU STATE BY FULANI HERDSMEN , ON
MONDAY, THE 25TH DAY OF APRIL, 2016, AND
OUR 34 POSITIONS:
1. We have viewed with
grave concern, the reckless and callous attitude of the Fulani herdsmen, who
had the effrontery to bring down their violence to our peaceful south-eastern
states of Nigeria, by recently attacking our defenseless kiths and kin at Nimbo
Community, Uzouwani, LGA, Enugu State, MASSACRED AND DISMEMBERED a lot of them,
without any respect or value for human life.
2. These itinerant
herdsmen have indeed drawn a line on the sand, and their actions and audacity
will no longer be discountenanced. We must take steps to reduce the chances of
re-occurrence of this kind of evil, again.
3. Surely, we will not do
anything illegitimate to express our displeasure in the killings of our people
in our own land, by these itinerant Fulani herdsmen.
4. Our people were killed
for Cows; and Cows we shall detest!
5. We must express our
disgust, in the modus operandi of the Security apparatus of this country.
Security of lives and properties, have long been thrown into the winds, and
people are dying like flies that encountered pesticide and properties are being
lost on daily basis from insecurity. Each time there is a heinous crime in this
country, the security hierarchy will tell us that they will investigate and get
to the root of the matter, and will bring the perpetrators to book, BUT no
feedback of such investigations are ever heard again ad infinitum, examples
abound. Till now we are still waiting to get report or feedback about the
mystery multitude of corpses deposited at Ezu River, Amansea, Ugwuoba Enugu
State few years ago.
6. Our confidence greatly
dwindles, as we believe, from experience, that the circumstances surrounding
this current MASSACRE of our people at Nimbo Uzouwani; has, from the date of
the incident, commenced its journey to being swept under the carpet. The
Security network of the country should be accountable, up and doing, so as to
restore our confidence.
7. No reasonable person
should try to politicize this issue of this ‘Nimbo Massacre’, by trying to make
caricature of identity of the perpetrators of this heinous crime, which is well
known to our people, to be the Fulani herdsmen.
8. The pains of the killings
of our brothers and sisters at Nimbo, in this millennium, in the manner the
herdsmen did it recently, will NEVER go, unless strategic sanctions follow. We
can NEVER mourn our brothers with continuous patronage to the blood-suckers,
and vandals who brazenly trespass our backyards and farmlands in the name of
feeding their cows. They feed their cows with our farm produce, impoverishing
our people with failed agricultural yields; and finally they sell their Cows to
us, and also sell their Farm produce, from their own undisturbed farmlands to
us. Yet, no appreciation whatsoever is accorded to our cooperation, rather they
killed and massacred our people (their major customers).
9. We are not at war with
the herdsmen, yet they treated us like this in our own country, and in our own
land! 10. The intensity, frequency and ferocity of clashes between herdsmen and
rural farmers especially in the North-Central and Southern Nigeria constitute a
clear and present danger to our national cohesion. The number of deaths, burnt
houses, rapes, and murder of citizenry are too gruesome to be acceptable to any
government.
11. The present situation
and development of killings of our people at Nimbo, is unacceptable, and an
affront to the peaceful communities trying to irk out a living from subsistence
farming in their own home.
12. Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo
also maintains that cattle rearing is a private business like every other
business. It is therefore an absurdity, an infringement and abuse of citizens’
right for any legislator or Federal Government to think of acquiring other
peoples’ land, for other peoples’ business, as suggested by the Grazing Reserve
Bill 2016 being discussed by the National Assembly. We therefore totally
dissociate ourselves from that. Such idea is unjust, unconstitutional,
discriminatory and unfair.
13. It also baffles us
that the herdsmen are allowed to bear prohibited sophisticated firearms, and
are NEVER arrested, while for other Nigerians it is against the law. Suffice it
to say that justice demand that everybody should be given equal privilege in
that regards; or they should be checked and disarmed as a matter of urgency,
and publicly prosecuted accordingly. Concerned Imeobi Members of Ohanaeze Ndi
Igbo, Worldwide therefore maintains as follows:
14. It is high-time our
people are encouraged to defend themselves, “first”, before placing reliance on
any other person; and should articulate themselves to wade-off any invader in
future.
15. Our people should
learn and imbibe the culture of being ready to defend themselves legitimately
at all times, and at all levels; at least to offer reasonable defence, in event
of any impromptu attack, as we the Igbos are vulnerable and are grossly
endangered.
16. That the National
Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo MUST set up as a matter of urgency, a
‘Security & Strategic endurance Committee’, and a ‘Central coordinating
Security sub-Committee on Town Unions, Vigilante groups and Neighborhood
watchers’.
17. That we cannot mourn
our kiths and kin, and the hostility against us in our own land by the
continuous patronage of our assailants; hence ALL FAMILIES IN IGBO LAND SHOULD
DE-LIST BEEF FROM THEIR MENU. There should be an outright indefinite suspension
on the consumption of cow meat by any Igboman in Nigeria, even Cow SUYA. This
should be one of the ways, we can mourn and remember our people that were
massacred because of ‘common Fulani Cows’. In alternative, our people can go
for the consumption of Igbo Specie of Cows, Goat, sheep, fowls etc.
18. There SHALL be no
more use of Fulani Cows for any Ceremony like Burials, Funerals, Weddings,
Marriages, Thanksgivings, Celebrations etc, in Igbo land.
19. Our youths should
start as a matter of urgency to commence breeding ‘Igbo Cows’ for it to be used
in place of Fulani cows in our ceremonies etc. Our Philanthropist should fund
this project for the youths in their various domains.
20. Honour and respect
should be accorded more to any man or family who uses ‘Igbo cows’ for his
ceremonies, as he or she is the true mourner, of our dead brothers at Nimbo
Uzouwani; and also the person with the best interest of Ndi Igbo at
heart.
21. That our people who
deal on these Fulani Cows should as true mourners of our dead brothers and
sister, takes the needed steps to diversify their trade and de-emphasis Fulani
Cow meat.
22. Our people who are
hoteliers, should quietly de-list beef from their menu (Except if it is Igbo
Specie of Cow), in our collective interest.
23. Ohanaeze Ndi igbo
will need the cooperation of every Igbo family on the face of earth to achieve
our goal; of eradicating blood thirsty vagabonds around us, who have no value
for human life; especially by complying with the above stipulations.
24. Town Unions, Village
and kindred formations, Neighborhood Watch groups and Vigilante groups are to
discreetly sanction and surcharge anyone of us who purchases or slaughters
Fulani cow in his domain for any ceremony within the South- East. Such persons
should be considered Saboteurs of our collective interest as Ndi Igbo, should
be handled as a Traitor , by their own kinsmen, according to their individual
local traditions and culture. Any sanction should be done without infringing on
any dissident’s right, but in line with the tradition and customs of the concerned
locality.
25. He, who kills his
customers, will no longer expect patronage; as he has killed his market! The
Fulani herdsmen have overstepped their bounds in the South Eastern Nigeria, and
they have killed their market with us; hence should find elsewhere.
26. All Igbo formations
anywhere in the World, should rise up to condemn this attack on our peaceful
home, and demand arrest and public prosecution of the perpetrators of this
heinous crime against us. No Igboman or Woman, or group should shut up; Voice
out!, Killings are taboo and abomination in our own land! It will NEVER be
treated with kid glove!
27. That this massacre,
is the first major massacre against the Igbo man in his own land since after
the civil war ended in 1970. Hence 25th April, 2016 should be remembered by our
people, as a mark of further aggression on our peaceful domain.
28. A day will be set
aside for the mourning of our lost kith and kin who were slaughtered and
massacred by the Fulani herds men, in our own land. On such day, all markets,
shops, and private trades and corporate offices of any Igboman will shut down
in solidarity. Professional groups like NBA in the South East, will be expected
to join in solidarity, except those on essential services like NMA. And no Igbo
man (except civil Servants) will visit any government office (except Hospitals)
in Nigeria for any transaction, on the said date.
29. The State Houses of
Assembly in all South Eastern states should as a matter of urgency pass a bill
that will forbid any one from parading cattle across our farmlands, without
being restrained, and without obtaining state issued license, and Local
Government permits.
30. That the Fulani
herdsmen should as a matter of urgency vacate our backyards and farmlands as
their security is no longer guaranteed, because of their crime against us, and
because of the prevailing distrust. Every person, village and groups should
join hands and legitimately treat them like trespassers. They are violent
trespassers, which ought not to be condoned; and they are also nuisance that
ought to be abated.
31. Communities,
businessmen and well meaning Igbo philanthropists should help equip and
motivate the vigilante groups and neighborhood watches, in the South
East.
32. We warn our people
against any unwholesome attitude, of betraying our collective interest,
especially those who might be gullible to the extent of receiving
gratifications and conniving with the Fulani herdsmen for economic gains, to
perpetually seed out the land of their people. Serious complaints have so far
been received about the President General and Traditional Ruler of Igboariam in
Anambra East LGA, Anambra State; and we expect them to watch their steps.
33. We know that some
insensitive Igbo People, will try to make caricature of these sanctions, and
flout it; but do not join them, for they shall, at the fullness of time, return
to folk like the prodigal son.
34. Let Ndi Igbo start
with the above position, and see to which extent it can carry us. Enough is
Enough! God bless Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo! God bless the Igbo man !
- Presented by Concerned
IMEOBI Members, of Ohanaeze Ndi igbo, Worldwide; during IMEOBI meeting of 1st
May, 2016, held at National Ohanaeze Secretariat, No. 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu
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