80% of Igbo communities under threat from armed herdsmen, study reveals
A damning report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) reveals that Jihadist Fulani herdsmen have seized at least 950 locations across Nigeria’s predominantly Christian South East, transforming them into bases for kidnappings and killings. The affected states—Abia, Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi—now face what researchers describe as a “systematic land grab” backed by alleged government and military collusion.
Emeka Umeagbalasi, Intersociety’s head, stated: “All strategic locations in Igbo Land have been saturated by Fulani herdsmen with the aid of the Nigerian military.” The report claims herdsmen operate with impunity, often at night, while security forces turn a blind eye.
The crisis has escalated dramatically since 2015, when only 10 Fulani settlements existed in the region. By 2021, that number surged to 700, with expansion into neighboring states. Intersociety alleges traditional leaders and state officials issued illegal Certificates of Occupancy to herdsmen, possibly in exchange for political favors.
Over 20,300 Christians have been killed since 2015, per Intersociety, with security forces prioritizing “the safety of Fulani cattle over human lives.” Umeagbalasi condemned the silence of Catholic bishops and governors, accusing them of enabling genocide.