Killer Herdsmen Have Occupied Several Areas In S/East, Group Alleges

A civil rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has alleged that killer herdsmen have occupied several areas in the Southeast.

It accused Southeast governors and religious leaders of inaction in the face of the alleged occupation and attacks on the affected communities by the herders.

This concern was contained in a report released by the group which it claimed was subject to research.

The report was signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, head Intersociety; Chinwe Umeche, head, Democracy and Good Governance; Obianuju Joy Igboeli, head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law and Chief Anayo Leonard Okoli, member.

The report alleged that the Southeast Christian governors had not only refused to speak out or rise in strong condemnation of the genocidal activities of the herdsmen “but have also bluntly refused and failed to act or take action as chief security officers of their respective states.

It claimed that this had forced the religious leaders to “lose their assertiveness, independent voicing and episcopal neutrality to the extent that some of them are facilitated by gubernatorial or political establishments to publicly speak or engage in false denials, misinformation or misrepresentation of facts whenever such herders’ attacks erupt in communities or dioceses where they are in charge.”

The report, which expressed fear that the Southeast region was gravely facing danger, claimed that there are likely to be not less than 950 locations in 770 to 800 communities across Southeast of Nigeria presently under occupation or threats of attack by armed herdsmen and allied others.