Okorocha meets with leaders of Hausa community over killing of 5 Fulani herdsmen.

 

Governor Rochas Okorocha in a group photograph with leaders of the Hausa community in the South-East zone who met with  him at the Government House Owerri  on Thursday, April 14, 2016 over the murdered Fulani men by criminals. From left: Commander 34 FAB Owerri, Brigadier-General Kay Isiyaku, Alhaji Ardo Saidu Baso (Ardo Fulani South-East), Chief of Staff, Chief Uche Nwosu, Mallam Barau Isiaku, Alhaji Musa Abubakar.  From right:  Alhaji Gidado Siddiki (South-East Chairman Hausa Community) Ardo Saidu Baso (Ardo Fulani, South-East)

Governor Rochas Okorocha has met with leaders of the Hausa community in the South-East zone over the dead Fulani men believed to have been killed by criminals, with the governor assuring them of their safety and appealing to them to remain peaceful.

The meeting which took place today at the Government House, Owerri also saw the family members of the dead Fulani men in attendance with the governor disclosing that two of those who masterminded the killings had been arrested. He assured them that the culprits would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Said he; “Those who carried out the killings did not target the Fulanis alone.  They also killed two Igbo men whose corpses were also exhumed with the bodies of the Fulanis. Criminals carried out the killings.  And those arrested will be treated as criminals. ”

He continued, “you should not see the incident as a targeted attack on the Fulanis because evidence from the exhumed bodies indicate that two Igbos were among the bodies.  Two of the culprits have been apprehended and will be made to face the consequences of their action.  There will be no hiding place for the rest of the hoodlums.”

The governor was full of praise for the Hausa community for not taking retaliatory actions, and urged them to join hands with the government in the fight against crime.  He told the Hausa community in the zone that their safety is of paramount importance to the governors in the South-East zone.

His words “I commiserate with all of you over the recent murder of five Fulani herdsmen within the Imo/Abia border.  Few days ago, I was in Abia state to meet with the governor of that state who is my brother and we have agreed to put resources together to ensure that such ugly incident does not happen again.  We have decided to check the activities of criminals in the border areas.”

Governor Okorocha said though he is an Igbo man, but he was born and brought up in the North and empowered by the West and could not therefore afford to indulge in tribalism. He reiterated that every Nigerian can do business in any part of the country because the country is one.

In his speech at the occasion, the Brigade Commander  for 34 Field Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Brigadier-General Kay Isiyaku who came with the leaders of the Hausa community commended Governor Okorocha for the steps he has taken to ensure that the ugly development did not escalate beyond control and urged the governor to sustain the peace tempo.

Earlier in his address, the leader of the Hausa community in the South-East zone, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, commended the governor for his peace  initiatives and also asked the governor to ensure steady peace between them and their host communities. He stressed that although they might have different cultural backgrounds, all Nigerians are one.

Alhaji Siddiki said the actions of the governor since the incident happened have helped a lot, adding that if not the governor’s early intervention the problem would have gone out of hand.

Also present at the meeting were top government officials including the Chief Of Staff, Government House, Owerri, Chief Uche Nwosu and the Deputy Chief Of Staff, Government House, Owerri, Mrs Ogechi Ololo