Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has condemned the persistent terror attacks in all part of South East of Nigeria by terrorists masquerading as cattle herders just as the Rights group specifically described as one attack too many, the recent invasion by Fulani armed herders of Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State during which time several lives were either destroyed, maimed and injured even as property of the farming community worth several billions of Naira were destroyed by the rampaging Fulani terrorists.
The attack, which occurred late Sunday evening, claimed some lives, with many others critically injured. HURIWA described the attack as despicable, reprehensible and absolutely condemnable just as the Rights group said the Enugu state governor must act swiftly to protect the good people of Enugu State now.
HURIWA recalled that impeccable sources disclosed that the herders attacked mourners at Ugwuijoro Nimbo community, leaving behind tears and sorrow.
Some of those killed were identified as Okeh Simon Ugwu Oruku, Okeh Chukwuebuka, Julius Ogbonna Odiegwu and Gabriel Ugwor Ezea.
A gruesome video sighted by media reporters in Enugu today Monday morning showed a deserted community.
HURIWA regretted that the Enugu state governor has been busy embarking on several overseas tours and unending visits to Abuja chasing after white elephant projects but has spectacularly left the farming communities abd the farmers in the rural areas in the state at the mercy of invaders made of armed herders whose only assignment is to destroy farmlands and kill farmers at will because there is no semblance of law enforcement agencies within the community or if they are present, the armed agents do not have the capacity to preemptively prevent attacks of such unprecedented magnitude from ever occuring in the same place that during the administration of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, over 45 villagers were slaughtered by armed Fulani marauders.
HURIWA recalled that a voice in the video watched by media practitioners in Enugu cried out that the invaders took the villagers by surprise and shot sporadically at the mourners. Tables and chairs could be seen scattered in the compound where the mourners had gathered, with lifeless villagers also seen in the pool of their blood.
It will be recalled that Nimbo was also attacked in 2016, leading to the death of scores. The incident attracted a nationwide outrage then.
Reacting to the latest assault and slaughter of Nimbo farmers, HURIWA through the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, tasked governor Peter Mbah to defend the good people of Enugu State by rolling out strong enough measures to eradicate the foreign armed invaders using every means available to the government of Enugu State just as the Rights group has asked the government of Enugu to consider setting up armed civilian volunteer force to operate alongside the regular police and other armed security services to wipe out armed terrorists from the soil of Enugu because their activities have lasted many years and unfortunately the state governments in the past and present, failed to prioritise the security and welfare of the people. HURIWA reiterated the call for liberalisation of ownership of military grades weapons by adult citizens of Nigeria who have zero-court convictions on the ground of criminality.
Advocating a South East wide armed civilian security volunteers, HURIWA stated thus: “We are pleading once more, and indeed, for the umpteenth time, to the governors of South Eastern states to UNITE as a single purpose forum to set up operational armed security volunteers like the Amotekun of the South West to face the common adversaries: armed Fulani terrorists and wipe them off the territorial areas of South East of Nigeria. Ndigbo have the right to own their farming communities and under no circumstances should foreign invaders whether from within Nigeria or without, be allowed to displace Ndigbo in their ancestral homes. This abomination must be arrested now before it grows into a hydra headed monster.”
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko,
National Coordinator,
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). 29TH APRIL 2024.
