Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has opposed the attempt by the Miyetti Allah to establish vigilante group in Igboland.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria had on Thursday at the ongoing security summit in Enugu expressed its desire to establish Fulani youth vigilance group in the five southeast states.
President of MACBAN, represented by Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, Secretary of the group, had said the Fulani youth outfit when established, would work closely with security agencies, neighborhood watch or local vigilance group to ensure the security of lives and property in all the communities.
“We can always assure the government of the cooperation of our leadership at both state and local levels to fish out criminals from the society we live. We also call for the establishment of Fulani youth vigilance body, who will be working with the security, the neighborhood watch or vigilante to ensure security in all communities, as it was done in Enugu State,” he added.
But the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who spoke to the punch correspondents on Friday, described the plan as preposterous, adding that the attempt would be resisted.
Nwodo said, “Ohanaeze opposes vehemently any attempt by Miyetti Allah to establish any form of vigilante in Igboland.
“These are people who have ravaged our farms, raped our women and slaughtered their husbands.
“As at today they technically enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution. They freely display AK47 rifles not permitted to be used by civilians.”
He added, “Extending this measure to them will turn them into an army of occupation and invite unavoidable confrontations with our youths. We will resist such a policy with every might available to us.”
Similarly, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday warned MACBAN to perish its thought of providing any form of security in the South East.
In a statement signed by IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, he condemned the proposal, saying it would be catastrophic.
He said, “I condemn in totality, both in letter and spirit, the underhand agreement between South East governors and Fulani terrorists that led to the call by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association for the establishment of Fulani vigilante groups in Igboland.
“Without much ado, I wish to state that it is extremely shocking and shameful that at a time when Fulani cattle herders have turned to terrorists and ravaging the North, Middle Belt and Yoruba land, South-East governors allowed Miyetti Allah to get away with such demand on our soil.”
In its reaction, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra said the call by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria was a ploy by the Fulani to conquer Igbo land.”
MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, who spoke in a statement that was made available to one of our correspondents, alleged that the Federal Government was fully in support of the activities of the herdsmen.
Madu added that although they were not violent associations, MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups would fall back on their ‘traditional means and mechanisms’ to protect Ndigbo.
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