Ebonyi State governor and Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi has lamented the killing of Igbo people by Fulani herders in Ebonyi State and other parts of Igbo land.
He said, South-East governors did all they could to protect Fulani cattle rearers from attacks by locals to the risk of their life, but unfortunately those they protected have turned against them.
Umahi was reacting to killing of people in three communities of Obeagu, Egedegede and Amaizu in the Ishielu Council area and the Effium community in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the State n the aftermath of the devastation.
The governor said, the state needed the sum of N5bn from the Federal Government to rebuild their homes and resettle victims.
While briefing Osinbajo, he recalled how he was issued a 21 day ultimatum to resign as a result of the unprovoked killings, adding that the South East governors were called all kinds of names for protecting Fulani herdsmen in the zone.
“What face do we have then to face our people? We feel so ashamed to face our people. When this thing happened, Your Excellency, there was going to be very violent retaliation. But I thank God for the leaders of this state. I thank God for CAN, the youths and traditional rulers.
“We immediately called for a stakeholders’ meeting and reached an agreement and said for the interest of this country, there would be no retaliation. But we are happy that you (Osinbajo) have a document that has been given to you.
“We are not saying it shouldn’t be investigated, but that document is information that came from the phone of the murderers and that’s what the community printed out and handed over to you. We demand a proper investigation.”
“But it is also very annoying that herdsmen in other parts of the state are being asked to quit because they want to attack again. This is one attack that must not be attempted. This is because as the chief security officer, I’m to report to the Federal Government, I may not be able to control it.
“Let this madness stop. No one has the monopoly of violence, but we assure the Federal Government that there will be no retaliation, believing that justice will be done. This is because what was provided this afternoon by way of information is good enough to unravel what happened to us.
“We plead with the Federal Government to assist the people of Egedegede with the sum of N2bn so that they rebuild their homes and settle down.
“On the unfortunate killings in Effium community, we are equally pleading with the Federal Government to assist the people with the sum of N3bn, so that they can rebuild their homes.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it had deployed 200 police and soldiers in the troubled Effium community in the Ohaukwu council area and the Egedegede, Obeagu and Nkaleha communities of Ishielu Local Government Area of the state to address the security crisis.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo assured the people that justice would be served in the case of persons, who were recently killed by assailants in the Ishielu council area of the state.
