The Arewa Consultative Forum,
ACF, on Thursday condemned
Monday’s attack on Ukpabi
Nimbo Community in Enugu
State, describing it as most
unfortunate and barbaric.
The ACF in a statement by its
National Publicity Secretary,
Muhammad Ibrahim,
commiserated with the
government and people of Enugu
state “over this unfortunate ugly
incident”.
The forum urged security agencies to
unmask the perpetrators of the
heinous attacks, so as to end
current “dangerous
generalisation” of Fulani
herdsmen as responsible for the
attacks.
“Nigeria cannot afford to
graduate from Boko Haram
insurgency to an unwarranted
attack by unknown gunmen
alleged to be Fulani herdsmen.
“The traditional Fulani nomads
have coexisted peacefully with
their host communities and have
been grazing their cattle for
decades all over Nigeria without
any such attacks.
“ACF is therefore disturbed and
seriously concerned with this
recent development.
“It therefore calls upon the
security agencies to do a thorough
investigation into the identities of
the suspected gunmen in order to
stop this dangerous generalization
of labelling certain tribe or people
of certain faith as responsible for
these attacks.
“This will cause mistrust and
likely incite people of different
tribes and faith who have lived
together peacefully for decades.
“Criminals hiding under whatever guise and
committing heinous crimes against innocent
people and the state should be treated as such
and in accordance with the law,” it stated.
The ACF commended the recent directive of
President Muhammadu Buhari to security
chiefs, to secure affected communities, arrest
and bring the perpetrators to justice.
