Igbo Youths, women group blast South-East leaders, FG over ‘abduction’ of 76 Enugu indigenes

South-East based groups have lambasted Igbo leaders over their prolonged silence on the now famous “abduction of 76 Enugu indigenes”.

Apart from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who has visited the community, no political leader from the South-East has reacted to the development.

The men, mostly youths, were arrested by some men on military uniform at Ugwuneshi Awgu, in Enugu State over issues with the Fulani herdsmen. They were later arraigned before a magistrate court in Abia State and remanded in prison custody.

However, military authorities had since denied involvement in the arrest.

DAILY POST further recalls that the youths were on Friday granted bail by the court.

Speaking on the development, the Igbo Youth Movement and the Igbo women Assembly
chided South-East leaders for keeping sealed lips on the matter.

Evang. Elliot Uko, the
Founder, Igbo Youth Movement and Deputy Secretary, Igbo Leaders of Thought, in a statement noted that “the quite disturbing silence of the powers that be, over the strange (and quite unacceptable) arrest by the military, instead of the police, of 76 young people at Ugwuneshi community in Awgu L.G.A Enugu, a fortnight ago, over altercations with Fulani herdsmen is seriously turning into an early seed for total break down of law and order.”

He added that “The ominous development at Ugwuneshi community on 17th March 2016, sends a very strong signal that some people own the Army and that they brazenly use it as an army of occupation. It is instructive that the Fulani herdsman did not invite the Nigerian police. They had more confidence in the Army. Which they know, they wholly own.

“If the F.G does not publicly investigate and punish make public, the officer who speedily deployed the soldiers who came in several trucks to round up the 76 young men and whisked them away, to the jubilation of the Fulani herdsmen, then, the F.G. will only be instituting Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a legend, because he predicted this attacks on Radio Biafra two years ago. Kanu said the Fulani herdsmen will seize the South East, South South and middle belt.

“Today, the Fulani herdsmen have confirmed Kanu, a prophet and a hero with a huge fanatical following.

“As the silence of the F.G. in all of these, remains worrisome, the silence of South East political leaders, especially the deputy senate president in whose constituency this humiliation occurred becomes heart rending to all.

“The question on every body’s lips today is: WHERE ARE THE SO CALLED LEADERS? Why are they all so scared of Aso Villa? Is this signs of thing to come? Are these the birth pains of some sort of revolution? Are things finally beginning to fall apart? Is there truly an agenda to forcefully conguer and dominate the South? Where are the Igbo leaders?

“It is important to remind the leaders of Nigeria today, that the termites that eat up the foundation that led to the eventual collapse of the great wall, are usually overlooked because they are usually very small creatures.

“It is clear for all to see, that if the brigandage and bloody rampage of the Fulani herdsmen is not quickly tamed, then the international community, will have no other choice, than to conclude, that all men of consequence have been cowed and silenced by the new sheriff in town as Nigeria toters at the edge of the precipice.”

Similarly, Chief Mrs Mariah Okwor, of the Igbo Women Assembly stated that “the trepidation, anguish and incontrollable pain in the hearts of our people today, could turn to something unpleasant.”

“This humiliating display of sheer arrogance cannot be accepted by any self respecting people.

“We warn that if the Fulani herdsmen and their cousins in the army, who see the Army as an appendage of Fulani hegemony, are not called to order, the Aba women’s riot of 1929 will be child’s play to the reaction of the Igbo women Assembly to this painful humiliation of Easterners by people who seek to intimidate and dominate our people even in our own land.

“Finally, together with the Igbo Youth Movement, we agree, that the IPOB’s anger over this grave insult on Easterners is commendable.

“It is a pity that our so called leaders have quietly abdicated their leadership position out of fear and cowardice.

“History shall vindicate us, as the people are taking note of the silence of those who should have spoken up.

“To be fore warned is to be fore armed. This madness must stop. We have said this before; we are forced to repeat ourselves”, the statement concluded.