Irked by the incessant violent activities perpetrated by suspected Fulani herdsmen Nigerians in the Diaspora are planning to stage a protests started this week in major world capitals in response to the killings and destructions recorded in the hands of armed herdsmen.
This is coming in response to last week’s attack at Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani community in Enugu State where six people were killed with scores wounded and properties destroyed by suspected herdsmen. Similar attacks have happened in Agatu, Benue State. Tagged the ‘London Protest Against Fulani Herdsmen’, the protest is scheduled to commence in London, United Kingdom this week with similar protests planned simultaneously in United States, Canada and across the cities in Europe.
According to Mr. Chidi Ughonu,
Coordinator, London Protest Against Fulani Herdsmen, the protest coming up in the city of Westminster, London is organised by Nigerians Residents in the United Kingdom in response to the incessant attacks and gruesome murder of Nigerians by the formally peaceful pastoral farmers.
“According to official records and security agencies statistics, 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. Some of us living overseas that 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 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 includes: that President Buhari should address the nation in a National broadcast and read a stern riot act against the Herdsmen and this transmitted in local language of the herdsmen. The Herdsmen should be immediately disarmed.
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 and depriving original landowners their land against their will.
“As it stands today, it is apparent that majority of Nigerians sees 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. 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.