The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Nnia Nwodo, has called on all Igbo in the Southeast geopolitical zone to defend themselves against incessant attacks and killings by suspected herdsmen.
Ohanaeze made the call following the killing of 65-year-old farmer, Uzoemena Iriaka, in his farm in Umuekpu, Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State by suspected herdsmen.
The charge to Igbo was contained in a statement by the media aide to the President General of the group, Mr. Emeka Attama.
The group said: “We have been pushed to the wall. We have no other option than to rise up now, gird our loins and face the seemingly intractable insecurity.”
It further warned that Ndigbo will no longer watch while their people are being killed like animals in their own farms, urging them to rise up and protect themselves.
“The rampant killing and raping of defenseless people in their homes and farms has made it imperative for people to take all measures possible to defend themselves from these hoodlums.
“Communities should organise themselves and fight back these killers. It is unfortunate that the Federal Government stripped people of their means of self defence without providing adequate protection for them or ensuring commensurate disarming in the North, especially among herdsmen.
“The Southeast states should expedite action on measures to give their subjects hope of protection from these marauders.
“People, villages and communities, especially Ndigbo, should rise up to defend themselves individually and collectively from such marauding criminals more especially as they are said to be non-Nigerians.
“We just cannot continue to allow foreigners, who do not place any premium on the sanctity of human lives to come into our homes to kill us like rats. Igbo people should stop the complaints forthwith.
“Guard and defend yourselves from senseless massacres. Cordon off your (track) roads to farms, streams and other places to avoid being taken unawares,” Ohanaeze said.