A group of women under the auspices of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, have protested the proposed plans to reserve grazing lands or ranches for Fulani herdsmen in the South-East geopolitical zone.
The women maintained that the plan would promote the more killings and raping of igbo women by the Fulani herdsmen who have been wrecking havoc in the past few months.
The women condemned the massacre of innocent residents by the Fulani herdsmen at Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to them, “intimidation will not work” as the people of the zone “cannot be islamised”.
A statement signed by the group’s National President, Chief (Mrs) Marie Nwanyiwunwa Okwo, read in part, “Not long ago, 76 people from Ugwuleshi in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, were arrested by the Nigerian Army and taken to Umuahia, which is another area of jurisdiction.
“Their offence was that they tried to defend their farm land from being destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen. It was through the intervention of the Governor of Enugu State that those poor farmers were later released on bail.
“The extra-judicial killing of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, members between November 2015 and February 2016, in Port Harcourt, Aba and Onitsha is condemned by IWA.
“This unresolved, cold-blooded murder of Eastern youths, coupled with the provocative brigandage of Fulani in recent times may have probably emboldened the Director of State Services, DSS, to publicly lay a charge of abduction and murder on the IPOB for effect.
“This accusation of killing and burying of five northerners (in a shallow grave), if true, is wrong and IWA condemns it, and would want the culprits brought to early justice.
“If, however, the accusation is false, then, it must be said as succinctly as possible that the DSS has taken a very dangerous route that will not only lay the foundation for eventual disintegration of Nigeria but ensures that a needless bloodbath accompanies the mayhem. The DSS intends to prop up mutual suspicion and spur ethnic hatred.
“Our message to the APC government is clear, short and precise. The quest to intimidate, oppress and silence Eastern Nigeria will not succeed. The dream of conquering our people through hatred and threat of genocide will not work. We cannot be islamised. There is only one sensible route open to Nigeria, which is to restructure the country now. Intimidation will not work; neither will false accusations. CREATION OF GRAZING RESERVES OR RANCHES
“This is a time bomb waiting to explode. IWA says NO to Grazing Reserves or Ranches and grazing routes in Igbo land. Any attempt to acquire, seize and (or) occupy our ancestral lands for Fulani herdsmen to facilitate the killings of our people and raping of our women and daughters will be highly resisted. FULANI ATTACK ON UZO UWANI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE
“On the night of April 24, 2016, while villagers were asleep, Fulani herdsmen struck, killing several people, and setting churches and cars ablaze. The DSS is yet to react to these heinous crimes.
“For how long must our people continue to suffer in the hands of herdsmen? IWA calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to treat the Fulani menace with the urgency it requires. We cannot continue to tolerate these unprovoked attacks on our people. It may lead to total, uncontrollable anarchy.”
