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Herdsmen: IFPU, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Boils As Pregnant Igbo Woman Killed In Enugu State.

Catastrophe is about to hit the nation as the level of Igbo killings in the country has become unbearable.

Ejike Ikezuagu – UK

The recent incident which took place in Germany against Senator, Ike Ekweremadu that generated a lot of disturbing ripples in the country will be seen as a minor blip as the Igbo Farmers Progressive Union (IPFU) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK boiled over the killing of a pregnant Igbo woman in Enugu State

It is said that, catastrophe is about to hit the nation as the level of Igbo killings in the country has become unbearable.

In a statement delivered to Ogene Ndigbo Newspaper by the Acting Director, New Media (IFPU) Kelechi Nwa Ishiodu, he said, again on 22^nd August 2019, they received a disheartening news over the unlawful killing of a pregnant woman, Mrs Regina Mba, an Igbo woman who hailed from Nchatancha Community, Emene, Enugu East LGA by persons suspected to be the herdsmen.

According to Ishiodu, he said, in fact, reports received from members of the community and those around the area described the perpetrators of these heinous act as ‘Fulani’ herdsmen. Some reports stressed the shameful and heart-rending manner of this death. Angry youths took over various locations in the capital, following this incident with protests and various staged demonstrations over the unlawful killings.

They group noted, that various other communities within Enugu have had to deal with these sorts of incidents before and have as before, reported these incidents to the authorities, yet, they have failed to see relief from the authorities the matters have been reported to.

He said, the victims always receive assurances from the State Government and other well-minded persons that the situation is well in hand and that the killings will stop, but as they have seen with this latest instance the killings are not stopping, and the situation has still not been arrested.

The IFPU commended the efforts of the Government, however it may seem to them as though there is a definite lack of potency regarding them and the people, they said, the members of the Igbo Farmers Progressive Union (IFPU) will not sit idly by and watch their Communities and dearly beloved peoples come to further ruin.

They required the government of Enugu state to take prompt actions as a matter of urgency. They suggested and recommended for the government to:

Investigating, arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of this act. Opening initiatives towards compensating the immediate victims of this act (according to pre-laid modalities).

They said, these are short term actions.

Over the longer term, they recommended firmer and more decisive actions by this government (and all other governments within Igboland beset by the menace of killer herdsmen) in securing us against this menace

IFPU said, the enactment of a law proscribing ‘Open Grazing’, as a key solution and deterrent to the herdsmen menace in all their communities and across all ramifications

They asked the government to deploy effective monitoring and conservatory patrols of all their farmlands and forests.

It would seem to them to be something of a misnomer to apply herding and shepherding activities to persons who have clearly become terrorists; the members of the IFPU must not make themselves complicit in these acts of terrorism by either keeping silent or failing to speak out or act, the group concluded.

According to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK, the President, Dr Nnanna Igwe, the group said, the Killings by the Herdsmen is a Sacrilege. They felt profoundly appalled by the report of the rape and murder of the pregnant woman in Enugu state by the Fulani Herdsmen.

They said, there are numerous other reports of killings, rape, kidnapping and farm land destruction abounds. They said, these actions are unacceptable and anti-democratic. This is a heinous crime the group said and therefore they totally and unreservedly condemn the killing and other such killings in Igboland in strongest terms.

They stated without equivocation that Igbo life matters and must be respected. According to them, they stand shoulder to shoulder with their people and consulting widely and coordinating robustly to ensure peace and unity amongst their people to speak with one voice against oppression of Ndigbo in Nigeria.

They urged international community to investigate these terrible and terrorizing actions of the herdsmen in Nigeria and prevail on the Federal Government to stop the nefarious activism and the sponsors prosecuted with full weight of the international law.

In their statement, they said, Ndigbo must unite in-house in order to confront their common external enemy

F. Ike Ochinanwata, a member of the Ohanaeze UK said, “I think we are wasting our time, if we think the international community cares. I am of the opinion that our southeast parliamentarians boycott plenary when they get back from recess. He said, this would draw attention and perhaps force the Federal Government to act decisively, to try and bring these heinous acts to an end. He condemned Press release and described it as “ineffectual”, it must stop, he said.

No part of this publication should be republished without written permission of Ogene Ndigbo Newspaper.