By Valentine Amanze
Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) has called on the National Assembly and state governments to pass a bill that will outlaw the bearing of arms and other weapons by herdsmen in Nigeria.
The Onitsha-based group also advised the governors of states affected by the nefarious activities of the Fulani herdsmen to set up local vigilantes that would checkmate the activities of the herdsmen.
In a statement by Augustine Chukwudum, president; and Chinedu Onyebuchi,
secretary general, after its meeting in Onitsha, NUF condemned the killings by the herdsmen in the South East.
The group lamented that the maiming and killing of innocent farmers had been on the increase for more than one year.
“While we agree with the constitution of Nigeria that every Nigerian, provided that he or she is law-abiding is free to live in any part of the country, we want to state categorically that the Fulani herdsmen have deviated from being law-abiding through numerous nefarious activities they have carried out in the Middle-belt and in the Southern part of the country.
“Everybody is aware that for the past six months that the Fulani herdsmen have truly shown that they deserve to be tagged the fourth most dangerous militant group in the world,” the group said.
The group further stated in its communiqué after the meeting: “We call on the Federal Government to liaise with state governments and relevant bodies in marshalling out plans that will lead to the tackling of the numerous challenges associated with the nefarious activities of the herdsmen.
“To avert the shortage of foodstuff which can be traced to the herdsmen’s activities, Federal Government and states must set up a committee that will be saddled with responsibility of compensating numerous farmers whose means of livelihood have been disrupted by the herdsmen.
“We are against the establishment of grazing routes and reserves by the Federal Government and call on the National Assembly to throw out the bills because we believe that it will create more problems than it intends to solve.