Fulani Herdsmen Attacks: South East Senators Call for Emergency Summit of South-East/South-South Leaders

Fulani Herdsmen Attacks: South East Senators Call for Emergency Summit of South-East/South-South Leaders

The South East Senate Caucus, rising from an emergency meeting on Wednesday, warned that there was an imminent danger to Nigeria’s unity if the federal government fails to act decisively to address attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen, the latest being in Enugu on Monday.

The Senators condemned the attack on a community in Enugu state which reportedly left over 50 persons dead and scores driven out of their homes.

The caucus also called for an emergency summit of South East and South South State governors, members of national and state houses of assembly, socio-cultural associations, traditional rulers and major stakeholders.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, spoke to newsmen after the meeting and said the emergency summit would be important to review and evaluate the very scary situation as well as proffer a coordinated response that would guarantee the security of lives and properties of their people.

According to the caucus, the summit became imperative against the background of the ominous silence and apparent indifference of the presidency over the killings in Enugu, some areas in Delta state and so many other zones in recent times even when there were obvious intelligence reports.

A statement issued at the end of the meeting read, “We can no longer sit and watch while our people are daily slaughtered like fowls without even attracting the cursory routine condemnation by the Presidency.

“We are even more appalled that despite the alarm raised by the Uzo Uwani Communities of an imminent attack by the Fulani herdsmen and the associated vague assurances by the chairman of the Fulani community in Enugu that such attack will not happen, yet the security agencies failed to prevent the attack that happened two days after the alarm.

“It is disheartening what is happening and somebody has to take responsibility. That somebody has to be the institution of the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Story: Vanguard