•Traditional rulers raise the alarm

From Petrus Obi, Enugu

Less than one month after Fulani herdsmen attacked Attakwu Community in Enugu State where two persons were killed, the cattle men may be preparing for another attack this time, on the Aku Community in the Igbo-Etiti Local Council following the alleged disappearance of about 300 cows and slaughtering of about 10 others in the area.
Addressing a news conference in Enugu yesterday, the six traditional rulers of Aku, including the Chairman, Aku Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe V. O. Attah, expressed concern over a certain comment said to have been made in the presence of the police in the area, by one Alhaji Sadiq, of an imminent attack on Aku.
They therefore, urged the relevant authorities to view the threat with the gravity and urgency it deserves.
The community leaders recalled that on September 8, 2016, Sadiq, one of the leaders of the Fulani herdsmen in the South-East, raised the alarm that youths from Aku attacked the herdsmen’s camp near Aku Town, robbed them of N10, 000, butchered 10 cows and stole 300 cattle.
The traditional rulers, who adopted a communiqué issued by Aku Community leaders, noted that evidence available shows that Aku youths were not responsible for the attack, adding it did not take place within Aku boundary.
“That security report from the Igbo-Etiti police station during an interactive session revealed that the attackers were suspected armed robbers.
“That butchering of 10 cows and stealing another 300 is not a mean feat and would be easily detected within Aku Community; and that such a feat by five persons can only be accomplished by experienced cattle rustlers.”
Igwe James Eleamu, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, recalled that prior to the incident, a meeting was fixed between the community and Fulani herdsmen over payment of compensation to farmers, stressing that “this unfounded allegation threw the community into a dilemma of seeing it as a ploy to evade the agreed compensation.
“That the Aku community is a civilised and well-organised one with strong civic, cultural and traditional institutions which at all times regulates the activities of its indigenes and ensures a smooth interface with government and institutions at all level.
“That it is not in our character to take laws into our hands as we are conversant with the procedure required by relevant institutions authorised by the to address any kind of grievance of which we have never failed to do whenever the need arose,” he said.
Other traditional rulers at the briefing were Igwe C.O Ochi of Ihekwuani-Aku, Igwe C.E.O Okwor of Ihekwuenu Aku, Igwe BUM Aniekwe of Oshigbo-Aku as well as Igwe A. Ugodi of Ugwunoda.