Spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, on Thursday asked Igbos in the North to go about their legitimate businesses and not panic about any reprisal attack.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Baba-Ahmed was reacting to Tuesday night’s invasion of a cattle market in Omuma-Uzo, Ukwa West Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State, where at least eight persons (all northerners) were killed by gunmen.

The Chief Imam of Umuahia, Alhaji Mohamed Baraya, said 20 cows were also shot dead.

In January, suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) shot dead a herder and 30 cows belonging to an Igbo man in Enugu State.

These attacks are coming amid a recent directive by IPOB that it has banned consumption of Fulani and Hausa cow meat. “The ban placed on Fulani cows will take effect in April 2022,” IPOB had said in January.

For elder statesman, Baba-Ahmed, those targeting and killing northerners in the southeast region should be “stopped and prosecuted”.

“Igbos in the North are not the killers of Northerners in the East. If they pursue legitimate business and live in peace, they have no reason to fear, and they should not be intimidated or threatened. Those killing Northerners in the East should be stopped and prosecuted. It’s enough,” Baba-Ahmed wrote on his known Twitter handle.