The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, the youth wing of apex Igbo socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Wednesday told all Fulani herdsmen operating in the South-East to leave the geopolitical zone.
The Ohanaeze youths, in the same vein, asked the Federal Government to proscribe the activities of the umbrella body of the herdsmen, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and declare them a terrorist group.
The Igbo youths asked the Federal Government to establish ‘pig colonies’ in the North for the sake of their ‘people’ in the region.
A statement jointly signed by President-General of OYC, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General, Okwu Nnabuike, and the National Publicity Secretary, Obinna Adibe, said the leaders of the pan-Igbo youth association took the decision at a meeting where they ‘discussed extensively the recent killings by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria.’
The OYC warned that any Fulani herdsman who failed to vacate the South-East would have himself to blame.
“Ohanaeze Youth Council hereby issues a warning to all the Fulani herdsmen that they should vacate the South-East immediately or face the wrath of Igbo youths and any attempt to ignore this warning, they will have themselves to blame.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide have banned and proscribed the outlawed Fulani herdsmen in Igboland especially in the 95 local government areas of the South-East.
“OYC calls on the youths not to take the law into their own hands but want the Federal Government to declare them (herdsmen) a terrorist group.
“The activities of Fulani herdsmen has been proscribed and banned in the South-East with immediate effect.
“We are calling on our people to be vigilant and report to security agents on the activities of any suspected Fulani herdsmen to the appropriate channels,” the statement said.
The group, in the same vein, advocated ‘self-defence’ in addressing the herdsmen menace.
“The activities of Fulani herdsmen, particularly the Benue massacre, is unfortunate and can cause another avoidable tension in the country especially now that the elections of 2019 is around the corner, we condemn the terrorist attack of the Fulani herdsmen and call for self-defence as a means to halt it,” the statement said.
The Ohanaeze youths also commended some South-East governors for rejecting the proposed cattle colonies in their states.
The statement said, “We hail the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, for rejecting the cattle colonies in Abia and Anambra states.
“We know other Igbo governors will follow the footsteps of their colleagues and reject this anti-people policy.”
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