Ohanaeze Youths Advocate Self-defence Against Murderous Herdsmen

SAN FRANCISCO, August 27, (THEWILL) – The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has advised Nigerians in communities being targeted by the marauding herdsmen to adopt the strategy of self-defence, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari “has no control of events in the country”

The group made this call in response to the latest attack in Ndiagu Attakwu-Akagbeugwu community of Enugu State, where a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor, was killed and four others, including a pregnant woman, was injured.

In a statement signed on Friday by the state chairman, Mazi Alex Okemiri, the OYC said that it could not understand the reason why the herdsmen have been allowed to have a free day, killing people and destroying properties in the Southern and Middle Belt areas of Nigeria.

“We call on Ndigbo, Southerners, Middle Beltans and moderate Arewa people to defend themselves in the face of this continuous killings and inability of the federal government to protect them. Self-protection and preservation is the first law of nature,” the statement read in part.

The OYC argued that the “inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in his Fulani kinsmen from killing and maiming innocent Nigerians is now obvious” hence the herdsmen have been emboldened “to rampage all parts of the country despite the assurances by Mr. President that it would stop”.

It stated that since “it's clear now that Mr. President has no control of events in the country or is in cahoots with the rampaging herdsmen” it would be foolhardy for those at the receiving end of the herdsmen onslaught not to start checkmating the marauders.

The OYC maintained that it’s time for Enugu State Government to take appropriate measures to protect its citizens, calling on the government to “set up a well-armed Vigilante groups in all autonomous communities in the state “to engage these wicked and bloodthirsty Fulani herdsmen who are beast in human clothe and highly uncivilised.”

On the allegation that the OYC leader, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro was recruiting 2,000 youths for the Presidency to rally against Biafra on October 1, the OYC said that there was no truth whatsoever in it.

“The pro-Biafran groups should sort themselves out and stop linking Ohanaeze Youth leadership in their crisis.

“We believe in a united Nigeria anchored on justice and equity and we have made this clear at all times,” the group stated.