A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has condemned the persistent attacks on communities across the South East by suspected Fulani herdsmen and bandits, calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
The coalition, which includes the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Nchekwa Ndi Ogbenye Foundation, ÓNÚRÚBÉ Coalition Against Gender-based Violence, Sisters With A Goal Initiative (SWAG), Vision Spring Initiatives, Better Community Life Initiative, CEHRAWS, and Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI), issued a joint statement on Saturday expressing deep concern over the rising violence.
The CSOs accused security agencies in the region of laxity and selective enforcement, alleging that attacks by herdsmen often go unaddressed.
The statement read: “We, the undersigned Civil Society Organisations in the South East, express concern over the continued and escalating attacks by armed bandits and herdsmen on our communities across the five southeastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. These attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of violence and impunity that has gone largely unaddressed by the Nigerian state and its security apparatus.”
They criticised law enforcement for its rapid response to alleged IPOB/ESN camps while demonstrating “alarming inertia” in responding to violent incursions by herdsmen. According to the coalition, communities have experienced loss of lives, destruction of farmlands, and displacement, with minimal state intervention.
The CSOs highlighted recent attacks: In Abia State, communities in Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, and Obingwa LGAs have suffered attacks, kidnappings, and farm destruction by suspected herdsmen; In Anambra State, Ayamelum and Orumba North LGAs continue to face violence, causing farmers to abandon their lands; In Ebonyi State, Amegu Village, Nkalaha community in Ishielu LGA has witnessed deadly attacks; In Enugu State, Eha-Amufu and Uzo-Uwani communities have reported invasions resulting in deaths and displacements; In Imo State, the Okigwe zone has experienced farmland destruction and attacks, yet there have been no significant arrests or prosecutions.
The coalition also condemned the repeated blockades and attacks along the Owerri–Ngor Okpala–Aba Road, where suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed passengers and kidnapped travellers in public commercial vehicles
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“These attacks persist in a climate of apparent selective enforcement of the law. Communities attempting to defend themselves from destruction and violence have faced retaliatory state actions, including arrests and forced financial compensations to herders, often at the behest of state officials prioritising vested interests over justice,” the statement added.
The CSOs referenced an incident in 2020 where residents of Ezinihitte Mbaise in Imo State were reportedly forced to pay compensation to herders after their cattle were harmed while destroying farmlands. Despite the loss to farmers, no action was taken against the herders.
The coalition argued that the seeming reluctance of law enforcement to prosecute armed herdsmen, alongside the destructive operations in the South East, violates Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
They also cited Section 42, which prohibits discrimination and selective application of justice.