The paramount ruler of Irigwe nation, HRH Ronku Aka the Brra Nggwe Rigwe has said the Irigwe nation will henceforth not sit and watched its innocent people been killed and properties destroyed.
He stated this at the weekend when the leadership of ECWA Bukuru DCC visited his palace and presented some relief materials to the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in Miango town.
The royal father lamented that it is very difficult to understand how things are happening to them as a people. “We have been living with many tribes and the Fulani peacefully. Fulani even married our daughters, we gave them lands to graze freely, including their cultural celebration often known as Shedy which they do stage it here, but all of a sudden, they started trooping out of Irigwe land without any conflict whatsoever not knowing that they were up for something.
“Irigwe man has never gone out to attack any Fulani, because I often told my people not to attack any of them, but in the event that they are the ones attacking you defend yourself.
“We have lost many lives in the range of over 2000 lives that have so far gone as a result of these attacks since it’s inception. Just three weeks ago we lost over 100 people and they continue to send messages that they are coming.
“I am always in pain to see how these old people, the aged women and children to be in a very sorry state.
“We are sitting on time bomb as a state, for those who kept saying that Irigwe people are not good can now see themselves that is not all about Irigwe alone. You can see the Anaguta people who are now victims too. You can see Mangu and also in our neighboring communities in Kaduna State?
“I have said it, if they (Fulani) continued to push us to the wall we are going to react indeed.”
The Chairman of ECWA Bukuru DCC Rev. Ayuba Ashishe at the palace of the traditional ruler lamented how security agencies and government are not interested in protection of lives and properties of the Irigwe nationals even with the presence of a 3rd Armour Division.
In his words, “We can not live and eat well when our brothers are sleepless, it is not possible for us to sit and be celebrating when our brothers in Miango are in pain.
“We can’t breathe well! And we can not sleep when part of us are under slavery, this is not what we voted for in the scorging sun.
“This is a clear indication that next year is going to be the year of hunger just because our farms were destroyed by people who received preferential treatment.
“We are finding it difficult to quantify the lived of over 70 people while 23 killed and we do not support for such act but the Governor can go that far to Ondo while he could not come to Miango and see things for himself” he questioned.
The Secretary Ecwa Bukuru DCC,
Rev Bitrus Haruna Goshit added his voice to the ongoing carnage in the state thus, “We have heard various calls from Islamic leaders that they should go and retaliate. That is why they went and killed people in Yelwa Zangam, that is the retaliation they were talking about.
“But I want to ask, if the Birom, the Ngas, the Taroh, the Pan, the Mwagavuls’ and other ethnic nationalities on the Plateau will also retaliate what the Fulani man has done to them will the Fulanis’ survive it?
“I want to warn, because if we are to embark on retaliation as preached by the Islamic Clerics no any Fulani or muslim will survive it.” He cautioned.
The Church leadership took with them two pickup vans full with grains, clothes, beds, footwear’s amongst other items as part of the contribution to support the IDPs.
The Chairman ECWA Miango DCC, Chairman Rev. Sunday Kosu appreciated the gesture presented to the IDPs. “We want to thank you for identifying with us and your prayers. If not for God, this community could have been wiped away from what we see and what we heard.”
“Is disturbing to see that if any of their own or a cow is being killed you see helicopters hovering around, but when is ours you don’t see same?
This is the time for Christian to pray for this country. Whether we like it or not, the safety of this country is in the hands of Christians.”
