Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
United Anambra State Association Canada (UAAC), an umbrella body of indigenous people of Anambra state residing in Canada, has cried to the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano to quickly resolve the alleged cases of rape, maiming and murder of rural dwellers by herders.
UAAC in a petition signed by its President and the Secretary, Chief Chuks A. Ejikeme, and Chidi Mmadumelu, an Engineer, decried the alarming rate rural dwellers especially farmers and children were being raped, maimed or killed by herders and almajirais as worrisome, adding that the situation worsened throughout the period of COVID-19 lockdown.
Some communities like Ebenebe in Awka North LGA and Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka LGA Abba Dunukofia, LGA,had between April and June 2020 met with leadership of herdsmen, appealing them to vacate their farmlands as their cattle and marauders had at various time engaged in destruction of agricultural produce and other crimes without showing a sign of remorse.
The Anambra residents in Canada, apparently disturbed by this and other developments, urged governor Obiano to double efforts towards securing the lives and the properties of their people at home from the so-called Almajirais and the herders that have allegedly took over their businesses and forests.
The release added ‘‘It is a thing of concern seeing the rate our farm produce are being destroyed, our women and female children beaten and raped, while our men and boys maimed, some killed right there in our various communities in the state even as the time of pandemic lockdown.
“We hereby implore our state governor to use his good office to fish out the dissidents who have no tangible mission in the state especially those inside the bushes and forests across the state mostly without known identities back to wherever they came from before it is too late.
“We suggest the governor should empower the traditional rulers, age grades and community vigilante so as to checkmate evil activities of those marauders and terrorists in order to prevent massive attack and genocide in our God given state. A stitch in time saves nine.” the group prayed.