The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Enugu State Chapter has lampooned those who were inciting the students and youths of the state to stage reprisal attack on the Fulani herdsmen over the recent carnage in the state.
The student body described the call as counter-productive and might lead to the endangering of lives of youths and students in the state, adding that such revenge mission would do the Igbos more harm than good.
There have been public outcries, especially on the social media, inciting the students and youths of Enugu State to take laws into their hands and retaliate against the attack on Ndiagu Attakwu community by suspected herdsmen, which left two dead and three persons injured.
Reacting to the development, the student union in a statement issued on Thursday, September 1, 2016 and jointly signed by the State chairman of NANS, Comrade Chidi Ilogebe and its South East and South South Public Releations officer, Comrade Victor Ezenagu, described such comments as “careless, inciting and inimical to the calculated efforts being made by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to decisively resolve the issue in line with the oath of office he swore to uphold.”
While condemning the attack, they noted that the menace of the herdsmen was a national issue and requires the swift intervention of the federal government, which is constitutionally empowered to nip in the bud the atrocities of the marauders.
The student leaders stressed that Enugu state is one of the most peaceful and least states in the country that were being ravaged by the herdsmen, wondering why some people should attempt to instigate the students to retaliate while they sit back in their comfort zones and watch.
They said that unlike in Ekiti State, the population of Igbos living in the northern parts of the country is enormous, allaying fears that any unlawful action against the herdsmen in retaliation may likely put the Igbos in the north at the receiving end.
On the call by some Igbo groups for the Enugu governor to emulate his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayo Fayose, in taking actions against the herdsmen, the students said that no true Igbo leader would support any act that could lead to bloodshed or undermine the peace and unity of the country.
They also stated that Governor Ugwuanyi as a responsible leader believes in due process and constitutional ways of addressing issues of this nature and should not be pushed to instigate the people of the state to take laws into their hands, as that is certainly not the best option under a democratic setting.
The students who expressed confidence in the ability of the state government to ensure that justice was done on the matter, advised the governor to summon a town hall meeting with the relevant stakeholders to sensitize the people and chart a new course for the safety of lives and property.
They therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to step up actions to put an end to the dastardly acts of the herdsmen in the overall interest of the country.
