The AlaIgbo Development Foundation (ADF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the continuous killing of innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen in the southeast, southern Nigeria, and the Middle Belt.
Chief Abia Onyike, the National Secretary of ADF, expressed concern over the lack of arrests or prosecutions of these perpetrators by law enforcement agencies.
In a statement, ADF emphasized the need for serious action by the Federal Government to prevent Nigeria from descending into a religious war, warning of potentially disastrous consequences.
The group attributed the violence and terrorism in Northern Nigeria to religious fundamentalism and stressed its opposition to the open grazing of cattle, which often leads to conflicts and loss of lives among farmers and herdsmen.
Part of the statement read: “We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately address the continuous killing of innocent Nigerians by rampaging Fulani herdsmen in the south-east and other parts of southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.
It is unfortunate that these killers are never arrested or prosecuted by law enforcement agencies. Religious fundamentalism is driving the violence and terrorism in Northern Nigeria.
“ADF is opposed to the open grazing of cattle, as the practice often results in the overrunning of communities, avoidable clashes and killing of farmers by herdsmen.
“While we support the policy of ranching, we believe that it is not the duty of the government to provide lands and financial resources for ranching facilities, as the rearing of cattle is purely a private business and should be treated as such.
“The ADF welcomes the decision of some elements from the Yoruba and Ijaw Ethnic Nationalities who recently articulated their decision to embark on the self-determination of their groups as autonomous ethnic nationalities in the Nigerian Federation.
“ADF believes that the time has come for all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to assert their rights to self determination as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
“The ADF, however, urges all those embarking on their struggles for self-determination to adopt a peaceful and non-violent approach. We believe that the struggle for self-determination is a fight to deepen the democratic rights of ethnic nationalities.
“It is equally a sure way of bringing an end to the conquest agenda of the hegemonic forces which have held Nigeria to ransom since independence in 1960.”
