BY Samuel Akpan
Villages in Eha-Amufu community, Isiuzo LGA of Enugu state and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have set up a joint task force to provide security in the area.
Tony Edeh, chairman of Eha-Amufu LGA, said this on Saturday while briefing journalists after a meeting between the communities and MACBAN in the state.
In January, gunmen suspected to be herders attacked Eha-Amufu, killing locals, and setting buildings on fire.
Edeh, who is the chairman of the Fulani Communities Peace and Reconciliation Committee, said they have reached a resolution on how to tackle the insecurity in the area.
“We have agreed on a number of things on how to move forward and make sure that the conflict is resolved. It is better to follow peace and we have all agreed that we will continue with peace. In no distant time, we will start the implementation of those necessary steps in order to continue to live together peacefully,” he said.
Gidado Siddiki, south-east zonal chairman of MACBAN, said the task force comprises 14 members with seven drawn from each group.
“Our people were being suspected as the perpetrators of the series of kidnap and attacks in the area. We in turn suspected members of the host community as being responsible,” he said.
“So we decided to come together to find out what is actually happening in that area so that we can agree on how to police the community and live together in peace. I have always maintained that criminals should be treated as such no matter where they come from.”
Daniel Odinga, Anglican bishop of the Eha-Amufu diocese, said the “meeting was a good one because the people involved in the conflict have come together to resolve the issues”.
“We have agreed to start relating well and stop all the kidnap and attacks. It is for us now to articulate our points and meet the government to come in and be involved in settling the matter completely so that we will live in peace like before,” Odinga said.
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