The people of Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State have challenged the Federal and Kogi state governments, as well as the Igala Traditional Council to wake up to their responsibilities of providing security for communities that have come under sustained vicious attacks by heavily armed Fulani herdsmen in recent times.
A statement signed by the National Coordinator of Ugane Club, a socio-cultural organisation of Igala people of Omala Local Government extraction, Dr James Odaudu, frowned at what it called an abdication of government responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of the people.
The full Statement;
In the wake of the human carnage that was visited on the Agojeju-odo Community in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State on Thursday by Fulani herdsmen, it has become necessary to remind the Federal Government, the government of Kogi State and the Igala Traditional Council of their responsibilities for the security of lives of the people.
It is worrisome that 48 hours after the dastardly and gruesome murder of over thirty innocent and law-abiding citizens in the sleepy farming community, even with gory pictures of the vicious and callous human tragedy in the public space, there have been no official reactions from the Federal and Kogi state governments, including the Igala Traditional Council.
As a socio-cultural organisation committed to the welfare of Igala people of Omala extraction, Ugane Club views the silence of government and the Traditional Council as not only nonchalant but a betrayal of the people’s trust for safety and security.
Ugane Club notes that Thursday’s attack on Agojeju-odo was not the first time communities in Omala Local Government have been brought under the heavy gunpowder of the marauding herdsmen. There are cases of commercial centres of Bagana and Iyade which have been completely taken over by these aliens. The case of Agbenema also comes to mind .
Ugane Club condemns the unconscionable and callous murder of defenceless inhabitants, including women and children in Agojeju-odo and other communities before it, in the strongest possible terms, and calls on governments at all levels to rise up to their responsibilities of protecting law-abiding citizens, especially in Omala Local Government Area in order to avoid a loss of confidence and resort to sself-help.
We also wish to remind the authorities of an earlier request for the establishment of security outposts at the boundaries of Kogi State with the Benue and Nasarawa States through which the herdsmen terrorists come in to carry out their attacks on Omala Local Government Area and other parts of Igala Kingdom.
Ugane Club further urges the Igala Traditional Council led by His Majesty, the Attah Igala, to take all possible measures to protect his Kingdom from being overrun by these alien herdsmen who bear no sociocultural similarities with the peaceful nomadic Fulanis that have co-habited with the Igala people for decades.
Ugane Club commiserates with the people of Omala Local Government Area, especially the traumatised Agojeju-odo Community over the loss of their loved ones and displacement from their ancestral lands and hopes that those whose responsibility it is to bring succur to them will rise up to the challenge.
