The Neo Black Movement of Africa Worldwide has raised concern over what it described as the ignored alarm raised by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) of alleged genocidal ethnic cleansing by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The SOKAPU over the years has cried out over alleged onslaught on their communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen, which it accused the Federal Government of ignoring, notwithstanding huge destruction visited on the affected areas.
Quoting the SOKAPU positions, the NBM of Africa Worldwide in a statements urged the Federal Government to urgently address the disturbing trend.
In the statement signed by the group’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Oluwatosin Dixon, the NBM noted that without the singularity of purpose, the pursuit of development will end a mirage, and therefore called on Nigerians to rally round the President Mohammadu Buhari administration to stem the ugly tide.
It condemnd what it described as perceived ethnic cleansing by suspected Fulani herdsmen and onslaughts on Christian groups by extremists.
“We are appalled by news of Christians facing ethnic cleansing in Southern Kaduna and Christian students routinely kidnapped by suspected Fulani terrorists with predominantly Christian schools inevitably shut down.
“It becomes ever more alarming when citizens contemplate a resort to self help in the face of perceived dereliction of functions by the Nigerian government.
“In a most recent SOS, we note the disturbing call from youths of Southern Kaduna crying ‘It’s time to defend ourselves,’ where the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union National Youth Leader, Comrade John Isaac, condemned in strong terms alleged mindless attacks ongoing in Atyapland by suspected Fulani militia.
“According to him, ‘herdsmen killed 100 people in six days, burnt churches, destroyed houses in Southern Kaduna, added to numerous other horrific reports, including that of suspected armed Fulani herdsmen killing no fewer than 100 Atyap natives in the last six days.
“The group said about 24 villages were also burnt and hundreds of hectares of farmland bearing growing food crops, destroyed’.
SOKAPU continues “the assailants attacked Matyei village, burning 156 homes. The Catholic Church in Matei and its pastorium were also burnt, while the Catchiest, simply known as Catchiest Yau, and an infant, were killed in the attack, with six other persons killed in the violence that lasted for over an hour.
“The armed Fulani herdsmen then went down to Abuyab community, which was about 500 metres away, and burnt down Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), the home of former Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Field Commander Shekari Billyok.”
Also worrying are statements by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union to the effect that over N2bn has been paid as ransom to kidnappers by families and friends in Southern Kaduna to kidnappers for the release of victims held in the captivity of suspected Fulani terrorists in the past one year.
“The organisation also expressed concern that the deteriorating security situation in Southern Kaduna had not improved but continues on a downward spiral.'”
The NBM of Africa therefore pleaded with the Federal government to provide adequate secirity and protection for the besieged Southern Kaduna communities and urged all the parties concerned to allow sanity to reign and begin peace talks, noting that only in such an atmosphere can development be achievable.