By Fikayo Olowolagba The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has alleged that the attack on Enugu community by arme...
By Fikayo Olowolagba
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has
alleged that the attack on Enugu community by armed Fulani herdsmen has given
the impression that the destruction of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) by
President Muhammadu Buhari was a systematic plot to expose the region to
herders attacks.
The Sunday night’s attack reportedly saw the gruesome deaths
of many Igbo farmers in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Council of the state.
According to the rights group, the killings of farmers and
destruction of farmlands and properties, which was curbed by the emergence of
ESN, have now restarted after the Buhari government colluded with governors in
the region to destroy the security network.
The group noted that it was more worrisome that the recent incident
in Enugu and that of Ebonyi State, in which over 50 lives of Igbo villagers
were lost, are coming few months after the clampdown and crushing of members of
ESN across the south eastern states.
“They, alongside hordes of cattle, invaded farmlands making
a mess of the crops planted by the poor village farmers. Sadly, in most cases,
these killer herdsmen even violently attack and kill the farmers if they have
the gut to question them,” HURIWA noted.
“These evil activities took place in all parts of the South
East: from Abia to Imo; from Anambra to Enugu and Ebonyi states respectively.
The people were crying especially in the face of the emphasis the Federal
Government places on agriculture. None of the herdsmen was reported to have
been arrested and persecuted by the law enforcement agencies. Yet, the evil
acts continued unabated.
“HURIWA as a media affiliated Civil Rights body, has been
concerned about this and we have followed lamentations and reports of what the
rural farmers went through before the advent of the embattled ESN.
“We cried out when the Ozuitem community in Bende area of
Abia State was invaded and attacked by the herdsmen and nobody did anything.
People were slaughtered and properties destroyed. A month later, another
community in the same Abia State, Ndi Okereke Abam in Arochukwu council, was
equally attacked by the herdsmen. Nothing was done.
“In the early hours of April 6, 2019, the herdsmen attacked
farmers’ settlement in Anambra West Council of Anambra State. They burnt farm
houses, killed the men and raped the women they captured, yet nobody came to
their rescue.
“Could the youths have kept beating about the bush while
their people were being taken to slaughter houses day after day? What about the
dastardly attack on Umuawa-Ibu community in Okigwe council area of Imo State.
In all these cases, HURIWA cried to high heavens, petitioned here and there,
and complained everywhere, yet the authorities never bothered.
“The internal outcry over these atrocities became deafening.
Reportedly also, these herdsmen also butchered a whole family and a Catholic
seminarian on apostolic work in Nkanu.
“The story is the same in Ebonyi and Imo States. In Imo
State, armed Fulani herders reportedly unleashed terror in Oguta, Ohaji-Egbema
and Orlu as well as other parts of Igbo land.
“The killing of Ozoemena Iriaka from Umuekpu in Agwa
community in the same Oguta council area was added to the list of casualties of
these murderous herdsmen.
“For almost a decade, people of south east endured the agony
of murder, rape and molestation in the hands of killer herdsmen; a minority
group that appears to be ‘sacred cows’ because they control all state apparatus
and hence are unleashing violence on the people.”
Furthermore, the rights group said that the international
community has rated these herdsmen as the fourth deadliest terror group in the
world but the Nigerian government has refused to speak.
Compared to the Eastern Security Network, HURIWA stated that
the Ebubeagu Security Network of the South-East Governors has failed in its
entirety to address the security challenges in the Southeast zone rather has
compromised the security of the Igbo Nation States.
The rights group stated that the Ebubeagu Security Network
from realities on ground only exists on the pages of newspapers as their
operatives and operations can’t be found in any community of the south eastern
states.
“Unlike their counterparts from the West who have made
effort to combat terrorism in their territory through Amotekun, we wonder why
governors of the Southeast have allowed themselves to become fragmented for
fear of displeasing their masters.
“Unfortunately too, some of the Igbo political leaders have
allowed themselves to be cajoled and intimidated to the point where they now
deny their own identity.
“Undoubtedly, the unending assault on the nation’s grundnorm
by the institution which has the onus to promote and protect it, has rendered
Nigeria as a lawless state.
“Any national or state government that fails to protect its
people through national security apparatus has created a lacuna for the latter
to seek self-defense as an alternative to reliance on government security
outfits.”
Recall that the ESN was recently accused of carrying out
various deadly attacks, including the destruction of Imo prison and police
headquarters in Owerri, the state capital.
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