The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), an Igbo socio-cultural group, has denounced Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State over killings in the region, declaring that if after 60 days an operational and functional community vigilante watch is not inaugurated, they will reaffirm their belief that governors are technically sponsoring Fulani herdsmen to slaughter Igbo people.
The group, led by Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said the continued silence of Umahi to the killings by killer herders in many localities was a pointer that the Ebonyi helmsman was collaborating with the dangerous killers ravaging Ebonyi and parts of Enugu states.
The highest Igbo socio-cultural youth body, in a statement on Saturday, expressed dismay that the Umahi-led South-East Governors Forum could go to bed and sleep while Fulani herdsmen are capturing the boundaries that link Ndigbo to the Middle-Belt.
OYC said despite high internal and external insecurity, none of the South-East governors has mustered the courage to proffer a workable solution to stop the killing of those they swore to protect their lives and properties.
According to the group, the internal insecurity in the South-East and the breakdown of law and order is the monster that grew up by the negligence of constitutional responsibility of South-East governors to provide security for their citizens.
The youth accused the governors of showing unwillingness to join hands together in floating a community-based vigilante network across the Igbo nation in order to stop the ravaging Fulani herdsmen terrorising communities and farmlands.
The youth body also expressed dismay over General Obi Abel Umahi ‘s resignation as Chairman of the Security Committee of South-East Nigeria
It said: “Ebubeagu Security Network was structurally mismanaged on its formation the resignation of Gen. Umahi (Rtd) as the Chairman of the security committee of South-East was also as a result of sabotage by Governor David Umahi.
“It’s with utmost dismay that General Umahi (Rtd) a direct brother of Gov. David Umahi resigned from being the Chairman of South-East security committee with a mere excuse of lack of funds.
“Ndigbo are too wise and intelligent to be deceived by the craftiness of Gov. David Umahi. Governor David Umahi should explain to Ndigbo how his brother resigned from such sensitive responsibility due to lack of funds.
“It is obvious that Ebonyi and Enugu are close neighbors to Benue and Kogi, and that the route of influx of Fulani herdsmen to Igbo land.
“The South-East Governors should realize that it is on history that under their watch Ndigbo are being killed, slaughtered, pregnant women butchered in Okpokwu Mgbuji Eha Amufu, Obie Aku, Opanda, Ukpabi Nimbo, Ogwurogwu, Umudikwu, Aloke, Umugwuocha, Mgboko Enugu State, Nwaofa, ugwu achara, nworie izzi, Odoke, Ndiobasi, Obakotara, Egedegede, Obegu and Amuzu communities in Ebonyi had fallen victim of Fulani herdsmen killings with over 500 deaths, including over 50 missing people kidnapped by fulani herdsmen”, it added.
