Nigerians abroad protest Fulani herdsmen terrorism

IRKED by the incessant violent activities perpetrated by suspected Fulani herdsmen, Nigerians in the Diaspora are planning to stage protests starting this week in major world capitals in response to the killings and destruction by the armed herdsmen last week.

Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani community in Enugu State was attacked last week and six people were killed with scores wounded and properties destroyed by suspected herdsmen.
Similar attacks have happened in the Agatu community in Benue.

Tagged the ‘London Protest Against Fulani Herdsmen’, the demonstration is scheduled to commence in London, the United Kingdom this week with similar protests planned simultaneously in the United States, Canada and across cities in Europe.

According to the Mr. Chidi Ughonu, coordinator, London Protest Against Fulani Herdsmen, the protest coming up in the city of Westminster is organised by Nigerians Residents in the United Kingdom.

“Official records and security agencies statistics state that about 3,100 Nigerians have been sent to untimely grave by these messengers of death, whose agenda and objectives are difficult to comprehend. With a massive and ever increasing casualty list, the Nigerian government that has shown a lackadaisical attitude to these waves of bloodbath and its deliberate inaction spurred local and international criticism,” he said.

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According to him, there are Nigerians living overseas will never have the opportunity to see our relatives that were slaughtered like animals in their homes and being buried or about to be buried in shallow mass graves. “These bereaved people are more enraged by the Nigerian government, who woke up on hearing about the London protest,” he said.

The protest will commence in the City of London with a procession from the Nigerian High Commission at Northumberland Avenue, London to the Parliament Building, Westminster. On Tuesday, May 3 as from 11am to 1pm.

Members of the Nigerian communities, lawmakers, and International civil society groups in the United Kingdom including Amnesty International have indicated interest in being part of the protest.

Ughonu said some of the demands the protest will be making include: that President Buhari should address the nation in a national broadcast and read a stern riot act to the herdsmen in local language of the herdsmen. And the Herdsmen should be immediately disarmed.

They also want a directive to stop all forms of open roaming or grazing of cattle as well as government discarding the proposed grazing bill, as it has no precedence in Nigeria that the government set up business for ordinary Nigerians who will enjoy 100 per cent of the profit as they deprive original landowners their land against their will.

The protesters insisted that majority of Nigerians see the grazing bill, as a law that will compromise their safety and Islamize their communities at the long run and it is foolhardy to ignore this concern.

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“If as result of our large landmass, our security is unable to secure their vulnerable community, we are recommending that the government should permit and arm local vigilante to protect their towns and villages, as the civilian JTF are doing in the North East,” Ughonu said.