Ohaneze Ndigbo warns southeast governors against making land available for cattle ranches

PAN-Igbo cultural association Ohaneze Ndigbo has warned governors across the southeast geo-political zone not to fall for the temptation of making land available for temptation of making land available for Fulani cattle herdsmen to open ranches.

Over the last four years since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office, Fulani herdsmen have stepped up their campaign of violence against farming communities, especially in Nigeria's Middle Belt. These attacks by the heavily-armed herdsmen have sparked fierce criticism, with the government under attack for nothing to bring the perpetuators to justice or stop the carnage.

President Buhari has come under a lot of personal criticism being accused of inaction due to the fact that he himself is an ethnic Fulani and breeds cattle, so is reluctant to move against his kinsmen. As part of a solution to the crisis, it has been argued that states should make land available so they can build ranches away from farms.

However, Ohaneze Ndigbo has warned Igbo governors not to make any land available for cattle colonies and settlements. Elder Rowland Ajuzieogu, the president of the  Abia State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo berated the federal government for over its failure to curtail the nefarious activities of what he called the terror organisations.

Elder Ajuzieogu said: “Ohanaeze’s attention was also drawn to a recent publication on an alleged N100bn gift to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (Macban). The apex Igbo cultural association is aware of the rebuttal by the presidency through the special adviser to the president on media and publicity over the said allegation.

“As representatives of Ndigbo and custodians of our culture and common heritage and after due consultations, the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Abia State is that going by the spate of killings by suspected Fulani herders and government’s present inability through the security agencies to effectively curtail these nefarious activities, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is taking seriously the said allegation in spite of the rebuttal by the federal government. We advise that, whether the allegations are true or not and at the risk of erring on the side of caution.

“Ndi Eze and the traditional rulers council, president-generals of town unions and community leaders are advised to resist every attempt by any group or persons under any guise to part with any piece of their community land for purposes of cattle colonies, settlement, cluster or under any other coinage. Let us make hay while the sun shines, as a word they say is enough for the wise.”