Nigerians in the Diaspora on Tuesday held a protest against incessant killing of Nigerian farmers and community residents by Fulani herdsmen grazing their cows on green land across the country.
Many of the herdsmen encroach on land belonging to farmers and villagers and anytime they meet resistance they shoot the land owners at sight.
Incensed by lack of definite action by the government, Diasporans on Tuesday took to London Central streets holding banners that decry the activities of the herdsmen who have murdered almost a thousand innocent people in the past year.
Among the messages on the placards which were by the protesters who turned out in their hundreds were; ”Silence kills”, ”Buhari stop the massacre”, ”Keep off our lands” , stop blood thirsty Fulani Herdsmen now”, Fulani killer herdsmen must be stop and many more.
Some gory pictures of slain Nigerians killed by the callous herdsmen were also displayed and made into posters.
However, there was a little distraction during the protest as a tear away group, carrying Biafra flags attempted top exploit the protest by putting the Biafran agitation into fore during the protest. All attempt to dissuade their opportunistic display using the license obtained by Concerned citizen who organised the stop the herdsmen protest were rebuffed and in no time, the Chidi Cali-led protest immediately disengaged and made the protest more pronounced using the provided Metropolitan police security as shield and link of authenticity.
Shortly afterwards, the convener of the protest, Mr Chidi Cali urged the protesters not to lose focus due to the action of Biafra nation agitators. According to him, they only came from behind to create unhealthy scenario. using the stand of his group to mainly consisting of Concerned citizens of Nigeria to show-off.
Pic: The Coordinator, London Protest, Mr Chidi Cali (right) with a co-organiser, Morgan at Parliament Building UK.
Tuesday protest was one of the most successful in history with hundreds of Diaspora Nigerians partaking in the protest which loudly denounced action of the herdsmen killing of innocent Nigerians by cattle rearers grazing their cattle.
According to Chidi Cali ” You cannot use Nigerian blood to feed Fulani cows and cattle. We are all human and should be treated as same. Why is the government silent and why are herdsmen armed with sophisticated ammunition in a country with law”
He added that sponsoring a Grazing bill would tantamount to raping the conscience of the nation by the privilege few who want to enslave the entire people for their selfish benefits.
Many of the herdsmen in Nigeria continue to parade in sophisticated AK 47 and other shotguns supplied by their masters to use against people opposing to community land abuse and destruction of farmlands as the itinerary herdsmen bombard farmlands and community settlements especially in the Southern part of Nigeria grazing their cattle.
Almost a thousand innocent people including farmers, women, children and villager have been massacred in the past months as the government refused to issue strong statement to denounce the herdsmen action. The government stance however has made many across the World to raise questions on why the government of Muhammadu Buhari( himself a Fulani man and cattle trader) has refused to take drastic action against the herdsmen incursions.
Concerned Nigerians living in the United Kingdom viewed the government stance as fueling community crisis and impending civil anarchy and want to create awareness of the massacre to the World media. Hundreds of Nigerians joined in the protest plan in a rare volunteer exercise which mobilised for Tuesday’s protest.
” Nigeria belong to us all and if a group of powerful people can be so acting in lawlessness by arming their cattle rearers, there are dangers coming to our country in an undeclared civil war”, Mr Cali continued as he addressed onlooking crowd.
Protesters carrying Nigerian flag and and they came old and young to denounce herdsmen callous killing.
Lashley Oladigbolu, the Acting President of Nigeria Union of Journalists Europe Chapter expressed his satisfaction on the level of publicity gained on the noble peaceful protest as he offered assistance to some notable Media organisations who were on ground to covere the event. Few among them were TVC News, Ben TV, Nigerian Watch and many other journalists who came to represent their media platforms.
With success of the protest, #NigeriansAgainstHerdsmenTerror”, with Dare Ariyo aka ARISTOTLE in Abuja portruding hashtag from the handle of @NigeriansUKpro now entrenched by concerned Nigerians in the UK had allowed for the mass mobilisation of Nigerians in the Diaspora in the most successful manner, gathering all segments of people under one umbrella.
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| Lashley Oladigbolu (left) with Godson Azu the London Assembly for Haringey candidate |
As early as 10 A.M on Tuesday, Nigerians started to converge at the Nigerian High Commission the embassy for onward march to the British Parliament where further speeches was delivered and on the activities of the herdsmen massacre in Nigeria. Several letters were handed to British parliamentarians who acknowledged and promised instant action to stem the tide of the massacre and draw the attention of the World to the Nigerian emerging genocide and ethnic cleansing.
In a closing remark, one of the organisers of the protest David Okoro who had earlier addressed the media, expressed satisfaction about the success of the protest claiming that the voice of the concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora has been heard loud and clear.
He thanked all members for their resilience and determination to push through the true voice of the masses.
“For and on behalf of the Coordinator of London Protest, Chidi Cali Nigerians Resident In The United Kingdom say No To Grazing Bill.that
Following the launching of the London group last Thursday, President Buhari called on all the Nigerian security service chiefs act on the matter without specific instruction to disarm the gun totting herdsmen.
Picture Credit: Dare Lasisi.
Additional pictures by Alake Charles, Muagwe Hannah and Lashley Oladigbolu, London.
Additional pictures by Alake Charles, Muagwe Hannah and Lashley Oladigbolu, London.
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