• Gov doles out N100m, meets traditional rulers, others • Anambra begins aerial surveillance
From Chidi Nnadi, Petrus Obi, Enugu, Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki, Fred Itua, Abuja, Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka, Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
FOLLOWING attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Enugu State community, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi yesterday said his state would activate the provisions of its extant and other relevant laws, particularly the Neigbourhood Association and Watch Groups Law 2006. The law provides for the establishment and operation of neighbourhood watch associations in every autonomous community in the state.
Ugwuanyi who disclosed this at a meeting with traditional rulers and presidents-general of town unions at the old Governor’s Lodge noted that these associations have been constituted in many communities, but most of them have not been functional due to lack of funding and other incentives.
The meeting was convened to discuss and agree on the formula to safeguard the state.
Ugwuanyi announced initial seed money of N100 million to support the security efforts and activities of the communities.
“It is the intention of government, particularly in the light of contemporary challenges to reactivate and make them functional in the interest of the peace and security of our people.
“Towards this end, we have scheduled to inaugurate the board for the neighbourhood associations and we will be asking you to make inputs in relation to its composition to ensure adequate and fair representation of all concerned parties,” he said.
He enjoined stakeholders to be united and work harmoniously in their communities towards the success of the initiative, pointing out that it would help ensure that ugly situations like what happened at Nimbo does not recur in any community in the state again.
He, however, stressed that the initiative was not intended to diminish the responsibilities and duties of the security agencies to provide effective security for the people, but to aid and assist them in the discharge of those duties.
Obiano spits fire
In a related development, Governor Willie Obiano said his government has begun a routine helicopter surveillance to ensure that any suspicious gathering of people (herdsmen) or curious movements across the borders are quickly picked up and analyzed by security experts.
The governor who promised that his administration had all it takes to word off any attack noted that before the growing menace of the Fulani herdsmen in the country, he had set up a special committee to foster peace between farmers and the herdsmen.
The committee, he said, was made up of the leaders of the Hausa-Fulani community, government officials, the security agents and representatives of the agrarian communities, Obiano warned that his administration would deal ruthlessly with the herdsmen should they grow “needlessly hostile” against their host communities.
Presbyterian Church reacts
Meanwhile, the Prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Prof Emele Mba Uka described the invasion of Nimbo as a manifestation of conspiracy and high-level injustice against Ndigbo even as he lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for being insensitive to the plight of the people of the zone.
Speaking at St Peter’s Presbyterian Cathedral, Beaklike, Ebonyi State, Uka described the attack as the height of insanity and disregard for the sanctity of human life and called on Buhari to bring those behind it to book.
He blamed the Federal Government and security agencies for not living up to their responsibility, adding that the attack by the herdsmen could have been averted since the assailants had earlier threatened to attack the community.
The Prelate called on the federal and Enugu State government to constitute Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate the killings in Nimbo and other parts of the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen to forestall future attacks.
We’ll resist grazing bill –Yoruba youths
The Yoruba Youths Council (YYC), vowed to resist any attempts by Fulani herdsmen under the guise of National Grazing Bill to take over any land in the South-West.
In a communique released at the end of it emergency meeting in Lagos, yesterday, the group called on lawmakers of Yoruba extraction in the National Assembly to ensure that the bill does not sail through.
While condemning the recent stance taken by Northern governors on the activities of Fulani herdsmen, the association alleged a grand plan to spread the colonisation agenda of Fulani on southerners
Campaign in Borno
In Borno State, a socio-cultural group, the United Hausa-Fulani Forum has begun aggressive campaigns among its members on the threats to national unity posed by the incessant farmers-herdsmen clashes in the country.
Addressing journalists in Maiduguri yesterday after its inaugural conference, the group chairman, Alhaji Moh’d Sarki, said the forum was encouraging its members, some of who are herdsmen, to embrace dialogue in resolving misunderstanding with farmers.
Sarki said the group was neither political nor religious but was formed as a network for change, peace and socio-economic development of its members and their host communities.
Group flays attack
The Pan Ndigbo Foundation (PNF) expressed anger and sadness that security agencies in Enugu did little or nothing to stop the invasion on Nimbo even when there was security intelligence that there was imminent attack.
While calling for an end to the onslaught on Igbo communities by herdsmen, the PNF in a statement jointly signed by Chiefs Charles Orator and Onyema, called for a probe of the sources of the gun and other assault weapons that the Fulani herdsmen use in launching attacks on communities.