Igbo youths see Miyetti Allah’s Fulani vigilante plot in S’East as mental insult
More reactions are still emerging over the recent plot by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to be allowed to establish Fulani vigilante in the South East.
Before now, there had been a growing consensus for the Federal Government to align itself with the modern way of cattle management which is now ranching globally, but the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari, a grand patron of MACBAN and Nigerian cattle breeders remained mute on the idea.
Rather, the body language of the government, according to analysts, suggests love for pastoral nomadism which since recently is metamorphosing into banditry, kidnapping and uncountable killings of crop farmers in the process fighting for cattle breeding forests and grasslands which climate change has cut short over time.
Just as the South West, though the Office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Chief Gani Adams, has issued a threatening statement that the region will no longer entertain killings and farming disruptions traced to Fulani herdsmen, the Coalition of South-East Youths (CSEY), has described a statement by MACBAN for allowance to form a vigilante body as an insult to the people of the zone.
They also argued that such plea by a body already tagged as the fourth most dreaded terrorist organization in the world, is an embarrassment on the collective intelligence of Igbos, who are known to be their brothers’ keepers.
The coalition in a statement by its President Mr. Goodluck Ibem, on Sunday, said the request by Miyetti Allah, was an abomination in Igboland, pointing out that globally and even in Igbo land, only indigenes of Igbo communities have the right to guard their communities.
The group argued that for a body now seen as enemies of their host in many parts of Nigeria they found themselves including even the South West, cannot guard Igboland at a time everybody is thinking State Police which is in line with the policy of ‘let everybody guard itself’.
Ibem queried “Who told the Miyetti Allah that the South-East was looking for a vigilante group that will protect it from bandits and hoodlums?
“For the past 12 years, Boko Haram and bandits have been terrorising the Northern states and Miyetti Allah did not deem it fit to establish a vigilante group to protect the Northern region and fight Boko Haram insurgents.
“One therefore wonders a satiation where the Miyetti Allah that could not chase away armed bandits on Kaduna-Abuja highway, stop the killings in Zamfara , Adamawa and Borno states, but the only place they are ready to show their vigilante prowess is the South-East must be a greek gift which remains a hate speech as far as Igbo youths are concerned.
Continuing, the Igbo Youth body warned South-East governors and traditional rulers never to give out any portion of Igbo land to Miyetti Allah or any other cattle breeders association in the zone.
CSEY statement however reverted further that “We say thank you Miyetti Allah, for your concern, but we don’t need your vigilante. Take it to the North and protect your states.
“The unguided statement by the Miyetti Allah, was provocative and insulting to the Igbo Nation. The group argued that the North has more landmass than the South South, South West and South East. Why are they interested in this small portion of the South-East? The answer is simple; they are trouble makers and cannot find any place in Igboland, aggrieved Igbo youths averred.
