By Chinenyeh Ozor

The catholic Bishop of Nsukka dioceses Rt. Rev Prof Godfrey Onah said yesterday that some Fulani herdsmen in the country are better armed than the policemen as they carry assult riffles publicly when they have no pernission to bear arms.

Bishop Onah disclosed this while briefing the press on the killings at Nimbo community last Monday by the Fulani herdsmen, saying that if the incessant attacks and raids in many parts of the country aes not stopped, it could be that by the time president Buhari has won the war on corruption, there will be no longer any Nigeria left for him to govern.

‘’we call on the Federal government not only to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the massacre as well as their sponsors s and collabrators , disarm all those who carry assult riffles. Some people predicted that Nigeria would be a failed state by 2015. All of us heaved sigh of relief after the general election and smooth handover. Any further delay in dealing with the present situation and similar cases all over the country may lead those who made the prediction to affirm that its realisation has only been delayed not avoided’’

‘’ the most painful aspect of the Nimbo massacre was that it was announced, expected and executed without inhibition. The state government made attempts to provide security in the area prior to the incident. The security forces ‘tactically’ withdrew shortly before the attack. Later returned to the scene, there was no attenpt to pursue and arrest the perpetrators. At present nobody can say with certainty the number of those killed, given that more of those badly wounded are still dying and some dead bodies are being recovered from the bush. Nimbo now a ghost town’’

Bishop Onah noted that it was disturbing that invading militants killed and maimed people they could find in Nimbo, explaining that the only houses attacked were christain religeous houses, burnt the house of one pastor, headed straight to the residence of the catholic priest where they attemted to burn the house but could not find petrol in the car, motorcycyle, generator parked in the compound. When attempts to break into the rooms failed, the herdsmen fired gunshots into the rooms to kill any person hiding in the rooms.

He questioned whether there are any law in the country that guaranty safty of life and property or has the country become a lawless country where violent person kidnap, and kill, rob and rape innocent citizens at their homes, pointing that the federal government who controls the security agencies seem unwilling to protect the citizens while the state government appears incapable of defending the people.

‘’we are asking why the police and the armed forces so swift, high –handed in reaction when unarmed persons march the streets in protest in the south- east and so heavy-footed when it comes to stopping massacre of south- east anywhere in the country. We are also asking, whether Boko Haram has actuaaly been weakened or has only been redeployed from the north east to the south east’

‘’ we apptrciate the position taken by President Buhaei on the latest war-like attack on a peaceful community, hoping that his directive will be carried out prmptly. Protection of lives and property of citizens is the primary responsibility of the government Nimbo and its neigbouring communities are among the few remaining farming communities in Nsukka and the herdsmen had earlier chased the people out of their larger homes.

Rt Rev Onah however thanked Enugu state governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the efforts he made to prevent the tragedy and interventions after, without which more lives would have been lost, adding that it is expected the state government would use the tools at its disposal to prevent its reoccurance in any part of the state and to find out why despite his efforts and prior information, the security agents failed to protect the lives of innocent citizens. The Bishop however directed masses and prayers in all the churches in the diocese while waiting the detailed programme for the prayers.