Rights group condemns killings by suspected herders in Anambra, Enugu

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the armed attacks by suspected Fulani men in Enugu and Anambra states.

It urged South East governors and lawmakers to pass laws in their respective states for armed vigilance groups and licence to bear arms for self-defence.

The pro-democracy group, in a statement signed by the coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and media affairs director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, yesterday in Abuja, condemned the federal government’s failure to declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists, even when backed by a platform known as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN).

HURIWA also carpeted President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to arrest the sponsors of the banditry in Zamfara State, which reportedly left over 6,000 people dead.

The rights group wondered how the government hoped to stop the Zamfara killings by merely banning mining activities, as if the dead and their stolen cattle are solid minerals.

Meanwhile, Anambra State government has declared the crisis between farmers and herders in the state resolved.

Suspected herdsmen attacked some communities in Anam, Anambra West Council, at the weekend, which left about six people dead, some of them beheaded.

The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, stated yesterday that the crisis between herdsmen and crop farmers in Anam community last week had been resolved.

He added: “The swift resolution followed the directive by Governor Willie Obiano to the Anambra State Security Council to bring the crisis to an end immediately and find out the causes of the crisis and suggest how to address them, to forestall future occurrence.

“Following the governor’s directive, the Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), commanders of the army and naval formations in the state, commandant of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the special adviser to the governor on security as well as the special assistant to the governor on security led other state security council members to end the dispute quickly.”