A herds boy fully armed

An Igbo Group,  Igbo Ekunie Initiative, IEI,  has expressed grave shock over what it called  the indiscriminate killings and unprecedented destruction unleashed by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen on various Igbo communities in Igboland.

With one community cited where they had been some clashes between herdsmen and their hosts, IEI  said  “the predicaments of the Igbos (has )reached an alarming crescendo as currently experienced under the Buhari administration.”

The statement was signed by Tochukwu Ezeoke as President aand Lawrence Nwobu as secretary.

“Igbo people are routinely chased out of Northern Nigeria and their wares and shops looted with impunity. The rest are brutally burnt down with reckless rascality.  Survivors of these bloody onslaughts are pursued to Igboland and finished off again with impunity by the Fulani herdsmen. Farmlands are destroyed by their herds of cattle. Houses are razed. Mothers and daughters are raped while their husbands and fathers are axed to death.

“The above scenario is not happening in Kaduna. Not in Borno. Rather it is happening in Igboland and with impunity. Communities who tried to defend their places are routinely disarmed and arrested. We saw this happen in Awgu where over 76 members of a community were arrested by Soldiers and shipped to prison.

“While the silence of the Buhari administration over the nefarious antecedents of his Fulani kinsmen convinces us of his tactical approval of their rampages, what we find criminally embarrassing is the silence of our Igbo leaders. Our governors: Willie Obiano of Anambra, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, David Umahi of Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta,  Ezenwo Wike of Rivers and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia why the silence? Why are you neglecting the solemn oath you respectively took to serve your people?

“Ike Ekweremadu, Andy Uba, Stella Odua, Theodore Orji, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Peter Nwaboshi, Sunday Ogbuoji, Joseph Ogba, Utazi Chukwuka, Gilbert Nnaji, Samuel Anyawu, Hope Uzodimma and all other senators, members of house of Representatives and members of the respective state of assemblies, why are you using your deafening silence  to quench the dreams of Igbo emancipation and progress?  All of you are not only in government, but also enjoying the perks of office and the very least that is expected of you is to speak out against the evil unfolding before our very eyes. Since when has cowardice become a trait of Igbo leadership?”

Igbo Ekunie warned  that the era of passivity is gone.

‘All Igbo leaders should pay close attention to the fact that our people are taking note of their abdication of duty. Now our people are weeping but during the next general elections we shall be doing the whipping as we flog the current incompetent igbo leaders out of office.”.

“We must also warn that if the current Igbo leaders do not change their ways as a matter of urgency, Igbo Ekunie shall without further delay commence immediate consultation on how best to recall them so that a new crop of competent Igbo leaders can emerge. The least we can do for our people is to speak up when injustice is done to them. Speak up now or forever remain silent.