The Anambra State House of Assembly on Tuesday accused the Federal Government of supporting the gruesome killings orchestrated by Fulani herdsmen across the country.
This followed a motion moved by the majority leader of the House, Victor Jideofor Okoye, representing Anambra-West state constituency, who lamented that the herdsmen’s activities had become unbearable following the mindless massacre of farmers in Mmiata Anam Anambra-West few days ago, where some farmers were killed and beheaded by the cattle rearers.
Okoye said it was not enough deploying security personnel to the affected area, but that the Federal Government should be more proactive in quelling the inhuman activities of the killer herdsmen in the area, stressing that it was time the herdsmen left Anambra State so that farmers would cease to die on account of their incessant invasion.
Chidi Livinus Udemadu, representing Ihiala 1 state constituency, in his contribution, said it was disheartening for the Fulani herdsmen to invade farmlands and slay innocent farmers at will without the Federal Government making any arrest.
Udemadu maintained that it was no longer news that the killer herdsmen had sponsors, which according to him, was the remote reason why the Federal Government was reluctant in taking decisive actions to arrest the situation.
He queried the rationale behind the arrest made by armed security men during lawful protests, whereas Fulani herdsmen would walk majestically into people’s farms, destroy their crops and kill them maliciously without government batting an eyelid.
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The lawmaker suggested that youths in such areas should be empowered to defend themselves from the killer herdsmen in the event of an invasion, adding however, that he was not suggesting that the youths should take laws into their hands.
Ikechukwu Umeh of Aguata 1 state constituency maintained that the herdsmen had the support of the Federal Government, saying the type of weapons the cattle rearers bore were unimaginable.
He maintained that the herdsmen did not carry out their nefarious activities during the elections, but chose to do so immediately after, killing farmers in Mmiata Anam Anambra-West council area.
Uche Okafor, representing Ayamelum state constituency, said his constituency had been a victim of herdsmen attacks, stressing that what happened in Mmiata Anam was a national loss as the killers were unrelenting, while government seemed docile about the development.
Okafor implored the state government to be more proactive in finding lasting solutions to the incessant massacre of farmers in Ayamelum, Anambra-east and Anambra-West constituencies to avoid reprisal attacks.
Rita Maduagwu, the House Speaker, in her ruling on the motion, said the issue of herdsmen killings was not only in Anambra, but also had been occurring in Zamfara and some other states, pointing out that the federal and state governments should rise up to the situation and stop the herdsmen from shedding innocent blood.
