‘36,000 Litres Of Nigerian Blood’ Spilled By Herdsmen In 3yrs – ICCA

The Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna) has accused marauding Fulani herdsmen in the country of spilling at least “36, 000 litres of Nigerian blood” since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

The ICCA, which is one of the leading clusters of Igbo in diaspora, made the claim in a statement issued in Toronto by its President, Chief Ugochukwu Okoro, through the group’s Public Relations Officer, Ahaoma Kanu.

The Igbo group made the claim in the light of widespread herdsmen killings and the efforts being made by the Federal Government to establish cattle ranches across states in the country.

The ICCA/Umunna equally commended governors from the South East region for collectively rejecting the government’s bid to establish ranches in the region.

The statement reads in part: “The unanimous action and consolidated decision taken by the leaders of Ndigbo to stand shoulder to shoulder in one voice to reject the unconstitutional, insensitive and chronically ill-intended desire of the Federal Government to establish cattle ranches for the sole purpose of cattle grazing for the Fulani herdsmen is a stitch in time that will save thousands of lives from imminent deaths, catastrophic pain and bloodshed which has become the trademark of the bandits the government is giving such underserved preference.

“ICCA/Umunna is declaring our unflinching support for this decision which is coming at a time it is becoming obvious that the Presidency is not handling this burning issue the way it ought to be handled. We have seen from the body language, action and utterances from the Presidency that the Federal Government is not bothered about the thousands of lives that have been gruesomely lost to this group of militants which is known to be the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the Global Terrorism Index.

“It is absurd and unimaginable that the Federal Government will be thinking of acquiring thousands of acres of land from people in all states and regions within Nigeria to build ranches for the exclusive use of Fulani herdsmen who have continuously wreaked havoc, killed and maimed thousands of men, women and children as well as burnt down properties and places of worship at will without any of them being brought to book. It is troubling that a group that is well known to the security agencies are still walking about freely and allegedly threatening more attacks with no law and order enforced or any investigation carried out.

“We would want to take this opportunity to advise the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria who described as shocking and lacking discretion the rejection of ranches by our governors to respect the decision taken by Ndigbo. It is true when we hear them say that Igbos are the major bonding elements among the people of Nigeria but we also will like them to know that nobody would want to entertain a people who slaughter and kill the way the Fulani herdsmen have exhibited within the last three years.

“Instead of Miyetti Allah to be expressing shock and hope that ranching issues be considered dispassionately in the interest of Nigeria and the generality of its citizens, we would ask them how would they want Nigerians to agree to co-exist with a group that has spilled over 36,000 litres of blood within three years?

“With the invasion of Nimbo village in Enugu, Abbi, Uzo-Uwani, Ndiagu, Attakwu communities in Enugu State and Abala community in Obingwa as well as the experience our people at Umuguma and Irete communities in Imo State have gone through coupled with the never ending attacks in Benue and plateau States, Ndigbo will not want to host any cattle ranches for anybody as our people need our farmlands for agriculture.

“ICCA/Umunna also advised the South-East governors to go a step further to consolidate on security in the states to protect the lives and properties of Ndigbo within the region by establishing vigilante groups to effect community policing within and around the South East States,” Okoro said.

Meanwhile, the South East governors reached the decision to reject the Federal Government’s bid to establish cattle ranches in the region after a meeting attended by governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), David Umahib (Ebonyi), with Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) represented by their deputy governors in Enugu.