Residents of Enugu State on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 staged a massive protest following the incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen in their state.
Scores of persons were killed on Monday, April 26, 2016 in Ukpabi Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani local Government Area of the state.
The protesters under the umbrella of Concerned Citizens of Enugu State, sought an end to the attacks which had left them with woes including raping women, damaged properties worth millions of Naira, displacement of residents, and hospitalization of maimed persons and murder of scores.
The protesters, marched from New Market through Okpara Avenue, Holy Ghost Park, Edinburgh Street, to the state House of Assembly and ended at the state government House.
The spokesman of the group, Dr. McGinger Ibeneme who spoke during the protest said: “The crux of the matter is that every day people go to their sleep and Fulani cattle herdsmen will come and slaughter them.
“Just few days ago, over 200 people were massacred in their village in Uzo-Uwani. Nobody has said their crime, there has never been any arrest; if anything, the Agwu indigenes were arrested for chasing away the invaders. They had to bail themselves. Their women were raped, men being abducted.
“We have heard about a Catholic priest being abducted, we have heard about churches being burnt, we have heard about women being raped. Every single day, day-by-day lives are lost. The federal government has refused to say anything; the presidency has been quiet over the Fulani. Are cows worth more than our lives? Why are they killing us, is it a crime to be a Nigerian? We just want answers. When will the killings stop? Why hasn’t the president sent the army, why hasn’t the president deployed the intelligence?
“They call them hoodlums, who are the hoodlums? Do the hoodlums have an army, that they invade a village and kill in hundreds? Were the Nigerian police asleep? Has there been any arrests?
“My appeal to the people is to open their eyes, to be alert, to be vigilant, to protect themselves against the invaders as the government can no longer protect us. It’s only a tree that will hear that it will die and it stays put. We are human beings; we have to shout for the whole world to hear us.
“The genocide is going on. There is a systematic killing of our people. After the massacre the government will now send the police to come and calm us down so that there will not be reprisals. We are dying in our numbers.”
