Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, the largest Igbo cultural organization, has asked the Nigerian Army’s General Officer Commanding 82 Division and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police to move to Eha-Amufu in Enugu State and stop killing villagers for no reason.
The Igbo group also voiced outrage over media claims that the residents of Benue State helped the Fulani herdsmen, who were reportedly responsible for the massacre of numerous Eha-Amufu natives.
No fewer than 50 people had been killed in the most recent attacks in less than two months, according to Obasanjonews24, with the most recent occurrence on December 8 killing 25 residents.
Survivors told Obasanjonews24 that the Fulani herdsmen who committed the murder had assistance from their Benue neighbors.
Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, said in a statement on Wednesday that the situation was very bad in response to the charges.
Okwu encouraged Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom to summon his subjects to order.
“It is heartbreaking that the same Benue people who have suffered greatly from herdsmen assaults are now helping the same individuals massacre defenseless and innocent Enugu natives just because they want to take over some lands,” he added.
“We declare that this is intolerable, depressing, and that such slaughter must not be repeated.” We demand that Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom summon his subjects to order.
“These claims have incensed the youth of Igbo, and we won’t stand by while it happens.We are aware of Governor Ortom as a protector of his people from these killers; hence, it is ironic that the same individuals are now supporting the murderous herdsmen.
The inhabitants of Eha-Amufu know their Benue neighbors personally; thus, it can’t be stated that there was a case of mistaken identity, so we have no reason to question the media story.
Okwu also said that he didn’t like how the security authorities were protecting the Eha-Amufu people. He also said that it was strange that these kinds of killings had been going on for more than two years without a single arrest.
“Are the murderers ghosts?” Do they possess more weapons than the army and police?
How many more people must perish before this is stopped? We request that the GOC and the Police Commissioner move to Eha-Amufu, but only if this bloodshed comes to an end.
Okwu said, “Enough of this bloodbath; enough of the justifications.”
The head of the Ado Local Government Executive Council in the state of Benue, Rt. Hon. Chief James Oche, has denied that his people helped the alleged herdsmen who attacked the Eha-Amufu community.
He claimed that the residents of the LGA had no justification or ability to join forces with gunmen or herdsmen to harm the decent citizens of Enugu State.
