Murdered Monarch: Group calls for measures against armed Fulani herdsmen

HURIWA alleged that Buhari is looking the other way whilst his Fulani kinsmen unleash violence on other Nigerians… warned the President that he may be in breach of the Constitution.

HRM Akaeze Edward Ofulue III was abducted and killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen

HURIWA alleged that President Buhari is looking the other way whilst his Fulani kinsmen unleash violence on other Nigerians. It warned the President that he may be in breach of the Constitution.

The alleged kidnap and assassination of the traditional ruler of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta state by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen HRM Akaeze Edward Ofulue III has been described by Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria  (HURIWA ) as one heinous crime too many.

The alleged kidnap cum assassination was by rampaging terrorists masquerading as Fulani herdsmen who have unleashed a regime of violent abductions and mass killings of persons from across Nigeria.

Equally, the President has been called upon to treat these premeditated killings as acts of terrorism. 

The group alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is looking the other way whilst his Fulani kinsmen unleashes violence on other Nigerians just as it warned the President that he may be in breach of the Constitution if he fails to take concrete measures to tackle this menace which is threatening to create animosity between other Ethnic groups against Fulani.

Conversely, the killing in very gruesome manner by South Africans of a Nigerian accused wrongly of been a drug trafficker has been condemned as insensitive, despicable and absolutely condemnable even as President Muhammadu Buhari has been tasked to take strong diplomatic measures to bring to a stop the incessant assassination and mob killings of Nigerians resident in South Africa by largely black South Africans. 

HURIWA expressed angst that Nigeria is losing respectability in the international community because of the lack of actions by the Nigerian Government to protect Nigerian citizens all over the World from unwarranted xenophobic and racist attacks by their hostile hosts.

The pro-democracy non-governmental organisation – HURIWA – condemned the ruthless and dastardly criminal acts of kidnapping and killing of the prominent Delta Monarch by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.

It also expressed disappointment that President Buhari has yet to view armed Fulani herdsmen’s well-coordinated terror attacks across communities from the Middle Belt as far as South West, South East and South South regions of Nigeria, with scores losing their precious lives and property worth several billions vandalised and set ablaze by the marauding armed Fulani herdsmen, as menace,

“From Jos, Makurdi,  Enugu, Akure and much of Delta State these armed terrorists parading around with cows have killed several innocent Nigerians and the current Government is yet to come to the full realisation that these rampaging armed Fulani herdsmen are as vicious and heartless as Boko Haram terrorists and therefore must be treated as terrorists “.

“We are shocked and disappointed that Mr. President has not sufficiently appreciated the enormity of the threats posed to the national security interest by the dastardly criminal and terrorism activities of armed Fulani herdsmen who have wrecked unfathomable violence and bloodsheds all over Nigeria.  

“President Muhammadu Buhari must know that he has sworn by the Constitutional oath to carry out his official duties by not allowing his tribal or religious considerations to undermine constitutionalism and Rule of law. 

“Being a Fulani by Ethnic origin must not be a hindrance for Mr President to adopt broad range of proactive security measures under the supervision of the National Security Adviser to the President to tackle this menace of killings and kidnappings by armed Fulani herdsmen as acts of terrorism that undermine national security. 

“Armed Fulani terrorists are as bad and blood thirsty as Boko Haram terrorists and must be treated as such. 

“Mr President must abide by the Constitution by introducing and implement far reaching measures to effectively bring this new trend of terrorism by armed Fulani herdsmen to a minimal level. 

“If President Muhammadu Buhari fails to rein in these Fulani herdsmen armed to their tooth and unleashing regimes of blood cuddling violence on communities all around Nigeria, then Nigerian communities on the verge of attacks will inevitably be obliged to take self-help measures to stop their people from being wiped out by these ruthless and rudderless armed violent Fulani herdsmen”.

HURIWA recalled that the monarch, HRM Akaeze Edward Ofulue III,  reportedly abducted 19 days ago at about 4.00 pm, on January 5, 2016, by suspected Fulani herdsmen, was discovered stone dead 15 days after the despicable  incident.

In Ubulu-Uku and other kingdoms, it is a taboo to kidnap a king, not to talk of killing him. Vigilante group members reportedly found his decomposing remains at the stomp of a tree in the bush at Umunede, Ika North East local government area, the boundary between Delta and Edo States.

HURIWA quotes media reports that asserted that Ofulue III, a lawyer, businessperson and an ardent Christian of the Deeper Life Bible ministry was driving with a young pastor of the church, who also served as one of his aides in his Land Cruiser Jeep, along the notorious Obior/Igbodo Road when the abductors struck at a disgracefully bad spot. 

The bad spot, about 40 kilometers from his country home, has been a flash-point in recent times – many persons,   including two Catholic Priests were kidnapped at the spot by   suspected Fulani herdsmen, who more often than not lay siege there.

National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, who signed the media release has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately direct the National Security Adviser and the military chiefs including the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase and the Department of State Service to set up national anti-Kidnaping task/strike  forces  to jointly patrol around the identified flash-points whereby armed Fulani herdsmen have operated unimpeded and to deploy high technology crime fighting facilities including trackers and drones to fish out and destroy these growing number of armed Fulani terrorists masquerading as Fulani herdsmen.

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