A pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare armed herdsmen as terrorists.

HURIWA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, in Abuja on Sunday October 8, 2017, noted that several global bodies have already categorised armed herdsmen as one of the deadliest terrorist organisations in the world next to the Boko Haram terrorists, in ferocity and degree of mass casualties of citizens from their many bloody violence, unleashed on communities across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

HURIWA said, “After thorough consideration of the high levels of destruction of lives and property of Nigerians from all parts of the country, perpetrated by armed herdsmen, we believe that the best solution to these incessant invasions and attacks is for President Buhari to step up his approach and worldview of the seriousness of these trends and take concrete legal, security and logistical steps to militarily put an end to the persistent genocide by armed herdsmen by first and foremost declaring armed herdsmen as terrorists. 

“This declaration should be taken as a declaratory readiness of this government to implement enduring and sustainable solutions to the incessant terror attacks by rogue armed herdsmen irrespective of whichever place they originate so long as their deadly attacks have often targeted our citizens.’’

The group urged the president to be concerned about doing and saying things that can advance human progress and create mutual harmony amongst the divergent ethno-religious affiliations that constitute Nigeria.

Editor