HUNDREDS of indigenes of Benue State residing in five states of the Southeast geopolitical zone on Saturday staged a peaceful protest in Enugu the Enugu State capital over the incessant killings of their people living in their home state by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The states are Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
The protesters who had initially planned to begin the peaceful demonstration at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu before they were stopped by the Police, shifted to Nike Lake Hotel at the outskirts of Enugu metropolis apparently to avoid clashes with security operatives.
The Spokesmen of the protesters, Chief Abel Abah the Ochidoma of Enugu State, Reverend Ternenbe Tor of Universal Reformed Christian Church and Dr David Wayas of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in their separate speeches, told reporters that they were under the auspices of “Concerned Benue Indigenes Resident in Eastern Nigeria”, and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful by stopping the incessant killings.
They vowed to defend themselves if the authorities refuse to check the spate of killings in their home state, wondering why the President Buhari led Federal government classified the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a Terrorist group while the Fulani herdsmen who have been killing innocent people are left to roam about the streets scot-free.
The group also expressed their support to the anti-grazing law enacted by their home State Governor, Ortom, and called for its implementation. They also insisted that the anti-grazing law is meant to protect their people from the menace of Fulani herdsmen.
They also called on the Governors of the South East of the country and other political leaders in the country to come to the rescue of Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States, predicting that the South East zone is likely to be the next target.
Some of the placards carried by the demonstrators read: “Enough is Enough of the Benue Killings by Terrorists Herdsmen”, “Cattle cannot be given more attention than human lives”, “Your cows are not more valuable than. Human lives”.
