There is anger in South East following the request by theMiyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, to establish Fulani Youth Vigilante body in communities of the South East.
The group made the call during a security summit in Enugu on Thursday, saying that the purpose was to compliment its host communities’ security counterparts and other constituted security apparatus in the zone.
Reacting to the request by the umbrella body of the herders, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), asked the MACBAN to dump such idea.
The Biafra agitators accused governors in the South East of conniving with the herders towards the establishment of vigilante body in the region.
In a statement signed by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB vowed to resist the plans, describing the governors’ seeming silence on the issue as payback for being rigged back into offices.
The statement read in part: “I condemn in totality, both in letter and spirit the underhand agreement between South East governors and the call by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association for the establishment of Fulani Vigilante Groups in Igboland of Biafra.
“Without much ado, I wish to state that it is extremely shocking and shameful that at a time when herders have turned to terrorists and ravaging the North, Middle Belt and Yorubaland, Southeast governors allowed Miyetti Allah to get away with such demand on our soil.
“It’s akin to telling someone in advance that you are coming to rob his house and he allowed you to just walk away, while pleading with you that you should reconsider.
“Instead of ordering their immediate arrest on the spot for daring to so brazenly reveal their intention to invade Igboland, the South East Governors appear to want to accommodate their demands.
“It defies logic that Southeast governors would care to give audience in the open in Igboland to the organisation.
“Did the Southeast governors stop to consider that Biafran traders in the far North, even though law abiding, can never be given the audience and reverence that these Southeast governors have so shamefully extended to Miyetti Allah.
“We are eagerly waiting for Miyetti Allah and their Fulani terror militia in Biafraland, an adventure they will regret for as long as they live.”
Also reacting, leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Comrade Uchenna Madu condemned the request of Miyetti Allah, describing it as part of agenda to Islamize the South East.
“For the herders to boldly issue out this sacrilegious and abominable statement is a proof that the establishment of their security vigilante is already at execution stage. They merely want to know the reactions of Ndigbo which will always be temporal noise making.”
MASSOB warned that “until Igbo leaders recognize the potency of the pro Biafra groups and engage them in the security of lives and property of Ndigbo, Igbo land will continue to be a playing field for the devourers of our people.
“The South West leaders have never condemned or proscribed the activities of OPC or other Oduduwa pressure groups, instead they are working with them for the general interest of Oduduwa land.
“Even northern leaders have never done such in their zone. Igbo governors, state assembly members, senators and House of Representatives members are all cowards and political errand men.
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, also kicked against the request asking the that lawmakers in the zone should make laws bringing back the Bakkasi Boys Vigilante Group o provide security in the zone.
In a statement signed by the Deputy President and the Secretary General
Comrade Obinnna Achionye and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, respectively, the OYC said: ”We wish to inform our traditional rulers in the South East, that an attempt to sell any hectare of land to Miyetti Allah in the South East will bring crisis in Igbo land, We will make sure that not only that he traditional ruler in question will lose his staff of office but we will declare such a traditional ruler persona grata in the South East.
“We are surprised that the Miyetti Allah’s demand for the establishment of a Fulani Youth Vigilante group to compliment the effort of local vigilante group is coming at this period of rumoured fulanization agenda. We call on Ndigbo to be on the red alert. The ‘fulanization’ and neo colonization of the South East by the herdsmen is knocking on our door steps,
“Wake up from your slumber Ndigbo, Be prepared, and wait for any eventuality, Until the State House of Assemblies in the South East enact laws bringing back the dreaded Bakassi Boys, youths in the entire Igbo land should as a matter of urgency, starting from Monday July 1, 2019, occupy all the state assemblies.
“Every state House of Assembly should enact laws to establish a new vigilante group with a special mandate to fish out armed herdsmen among the cattle rearers moving across our forests on the early hours of the day.”