A former deputy Inspector of Police, Ozo Celestine Okoye, on Friday made some glaring revelations about the presence of heavily armed herdsmen with AK-47 rifles, occupying a total of 322 Fulani settlements across the fivell states of the South East zone with the intention of attacking the region in the lfuture.

Okoye in an exclusive interview with Saturday telegraph said the Fulani herdsmen in the South East are more located in Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Abia States, while trying to make in road into Imo state.

“I wonder what our governors are doing with the heavy presence of armed Fulani herdsmen in Igboland and I’m worried because I am an Igbo man from Awka, Anambra State.

“Why are they pretending about it even when they know? in Imo state they have taken over Okigwe town and they are heavily armed.

“Ebonyi State has the largest number of Fulani settlements in the South East and their presence is dangerous to the people in the area, if you go to Amansea border towns of Anambra State and Isiagu town, they are building permanent settlement; that is houses, claiming they bought the land from the owners and one wonders what would happen when they launch the planned attack,” he said.

He urged the governors of the South East to be proactive in the area of security, adding that with such a development, Ndigbo is as good as conquered by the Fulani herdsmen.

“No matter how you see it, we have an impending crisis in our hands, capable of making South East ungoverneable. (And) it is high time our governors ‘wake up’ to the looming security crisis.

He also noted that claims by security operatives that” they are on top of the situation” was merely “lips service” aimed at calming the panic, even as he insisted that if nothing was done, Ndigbo would be found wanting.

He encouraged the vigilante groups in Igboland and traditional rulers to be ready for any eventuality, and the governors should assist them salvage the situation.

Lolo Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News