Killings: We’ve directed Herders to leave Ebonyi till tension goes down —Miyetti Allah

Following the killing of some people in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State, last week, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, the South East leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), says the body has ordered with immediate effect, the relocation of all cattle breeders from Ebonyi State to pave way for peace.

They said it would also help the security agencies in the state to carry out a thorough investigation to unravel those behind the attack that claimed no less than fifteen human lives.

The south-east zonal chairman of Miyetti Allah, Gidado Sidikki, who disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Wednesday, noted that the relocation order was for a period of time to enable the security agencies in collaboration with the Ebonyi State government, the leadership of Miyetti Allah, community leaders and other concern stakeholders to investigate the cause of the ungodly attacks on innocent people.

According to Sidikki, we have ordered all the cattle breeders to relocate from the state for now. We are afraid, they may be killed unjustly in the course of retaliation. So, we have asked them to leave the state for now and return back as soon as the tension is down.

“I am sad with the incident, because Fulani herdsmen in the area have been living peacefully with the host community for decades. Why now?”

The Miyetti Allah, in the zone under my watch, has been monitoring all the activities of cattle breeders grazing in the five states; Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi, to ensure they didn’t cause trouble with their host communities while on duties.

Hence, it will be shocking, if it is eventually confirmed that herdsmen are the ones responsible for the killing.

Siddiki warned the herders in the region not to take law into their hands rather, address their harassment and intimidation whenever the need arises through legal means for the sake of co-existence as one Nigeria.

He also appealed to security operatives to fish out the killers and make them face the full wrath of the law. (Nigerian Tribune)