The Chairman of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Dr. Eric Odo, has made a passionate plea to the Federal Government to officially designate armed herdsmen as a terrorist group. This bold move, he believes, would grant security agencies the necessary powers to tackle the menace head-on and restore peace to rural communities.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Dr. Odo’s appeal came during a two-day Institutional Strengthening and Agenda Setting Meeting for local government chairmen in Enugu State, organized by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with the South-Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO). The forum provided a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on pressing issues affecting local governments and communities.
“We felt that it will be proper for us to be courageous enough to say that this is the time at which we can halt this menace and give our people peace, especially the farmers, so they can go back to farm,” Dr. Odo emphasized. He highlighted the crippling effects of armed herder activities on food security, noting that widespread insecurity has led to food insufficiency and unavailability.
The Enugu Council Chairman specifically called on the National Security Adviser, service chiefs, and other relevant authorities to advise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to classify armed herdsmen as terrorists. “If this category of people can be properly classified and given the name they truly deserve, the entire security apparatus will swing into action,” he asserted. “If they do so, I will tell you that the problem of insecurity in this country will be half-solved, because that is the only time the police, the army, the Civil Defence, the Customs — all of them — will fight them the way terrorists should be fought.”
Dr. Odo’s plea was echoed by a security consultant, Mr. Uche Okanume, who delivered the keynote address. Mr. Okanume charged local government chairmen to build strong partnerships with community-based security outfits, such as the Neighbourhood Watch and Forest Guards. According to him, the inability of conventional security agencies to respond swiftly to emergency situations necessitates grassroots security interventions.
“Many markets in Isi-Uzo, Uzo-Uwani, and parts of Udenu LGAs have shut down due to insecurity. The state government must act urgently to reverse this disturbing trend,” Mr. Okanume warned. He further urged council leaders to ensure that only competent and trustworthy individuals are recruited into community security structures to enhance their effectiveness.
In his remarks, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, represented by the Head of Programmes, Mr. Okwudili Odo, said the meeting was part of a broader strategy to strengthen democratic governance and responsive service delivery at the grassroots. “Today’s dialogues present a platform to align our priorities, strengthen our partnership, and most importantly, set a clear agenda that speaks to the needs, aspirations, and realities of the people across the LGAs,” he stated.
The meeting also aimed to enhance Gender Responsive Public Service Delivery (GRPSD), with a focus on participatory approaches that can drive transformative change at the local level. As the forum concluded, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to working together to address the security challenges facing communities in Enugu State and promote sustainable development.