The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the decision of the military high command and the Imo State governor Mr. Hope Uzodinma to deploy a massive number of armed soldiers to launch attacks against the Eastern Security Network set up to minimize the incursions of armed Fulani herdsmen into Igboland.

HURIWA is pained that whereas the soldiers have failed to stop the continuous violent attacks against farmlands in Anambra and the incessant armed kidnappings of travellers by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen, they are busy fighting the ESN.

“The idea of crushing an initiative set up by the youths to safeguard their homelands from violent attacks by strange looking armed Fulani herdsmen and also not deploying soldiers to go after the armed Fulani herdsmen attacking the South East of Nigeria goes to show that President Muhammadu Buhari is personally responsible and can be dragged to the International Criminal Court in The Hague Netherlands since he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.  It makes no sense crushing a well intentioned vigilance initiative that is set up by the young people of South East to stop the incessant rapes of their mothers and sisters by armed Fulani herdsmen and the attendant  killings, maiming and destruction whereas in the North East there’s a similar initiative called CIVILIAN-JTF. This is pure apartheid .”

Relatedly, the rights group blamed Buhari for allowing Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association to make good their threats to attack Anambra state in the wake of the unfortunate killing of some Fulanis by unknown gunmen.

The rights group said it clearly issued a media statement last week warning Buhari not to allow the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association to carry through its threats against Igbo interest but as usual, the president who is suspected to be backing his kinsmen the herders, did nothing and now the attacks against the people of the South East of Nigeria as threatened by Miyetti Allah few weeks ago has happened.

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HURIWA has called for the arrest of the National spokesman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association who made the open threat to attack Anambra State just as the rights group said if the man was not arrested within 48 hours, it would compile a new petition to the International Criminal Court in The Hague Netherlands so that the global court could order the arrest and prosecution of Buhari for crimes against humanity.

” HURIWA is overwhelmed with angst that despite our warning urging President Muhammadu Buhari not to sit by in Abuja and allow the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association carry through its threat against Anambra and South East of Nigeria, President Buhari has allowed the reprisals to take place even when the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate murders two weeks ago of scores of Fulanis is uncertain.

“We have heard that no fewer than 10 communities in Anambra State have alleged that suspected herdsmen killed three persons and injured many in the Awka North Local Government Area of the state.

Addressing journalists few hours back,  the representatives of the 10 communities in the area lamented what they called the criminal activities of suspected herdsmen operating in their forests and farmlands.

They alleged that a number of their people had been kidnapped for ransom, while others have been killed,” the group said.
It said that one of the victims, Oke Jideofor, who hails from Amanuke community, alleged that he was shot by the suspected herdsmen on his way to a neighbouring Achalla community on Saturday.

HURIWA said: “Jideofor who had bandage and plaster on his heads, hands and legs, said, “The people shot me on my way to Achalla. They were about three in number.”

Another victim, a native of Isuaniocha, said he was attacked on the same Urum-Achalla Road in a vehicle with a certain woman from Mgbakwu community whom he called Ikemfuna’s wife.

He said: “That woman that was killed, I was with her in the same vehicle. My right hand is paralysed because of the injury I sustained.The woman was beaten to death. They dragged me into the bush. I was released when my wife paid N1million ransom..They killed a man from Achalla. His people raided the bush to avenge his death but the suspects ran away.”

HURIWA said it was weighing the options and may need to compile compelling evidence to link Buhari to these cocktails of coordinated violent attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen especially the incident that just took place in Anambra State and others that happened in other parts of the South-east especially after the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association made a public threat to revenge what they termed the killings of some of their people in Anambra state.

HURIWA urged governors of the South East of Nigeria to ask Buhari to stop the onslaught and massive military action against the ESN.

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