The leadership of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has applauded the governors of the southeast states for banning open grazing in the region.
IPOB in a statement on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful thanked the governors for respecting the wishes of the people of the zone.
According to the group, had the governors of the southeast summoned the courage to ban the activities of the Fulani herdsmen, the region, would have averted the menace of the killer herdsmen in the region.
“We the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to salute the courage of southeast Governors for heeding our Leader’s call to ban open grazing in the region. We received with delight the news of a statement credited to the Chairman of southeast Governors’ Forum, Dave Umahi, to the effect that open grazing has been banned in all states of the zone.
“IPOB wishes to acknowledge the wisdom of the governors to respect the people’s will for the first time. If the governors had not been seized by useless fear and trepidation over the Fulani before now, our region wouldn’t have been in this mess.”
IPOB in the statement while urging all herdsmen in Biafra land irrespective of their tribe to restrict themselves to the law of the land or relocate to regions where open grazing is allowed said that they would start enforcing the law against open grazing throughout the southeast as soon as the 14 Days ultimatum earlier issued by the leader of the group; Nnamdi Kanu expires.
It added, “We therefore, want to aver, and assure the governors that our gallant Eastern Security Network, ESN, will ensure strict enforcement of the ban which is also in line with a subsisting but neglected judicial pronouncement in 1969.
“At the expiration of the two-week ultimatum already issued by our Leader for open grazing to end in Biafra land, IPOB and ESN will move in to deal with any herder flouting the law.
“Since the law enforcement agents are too weak or have wittingly failed to enforce the ban, we can no longer afford to sit idly and watch the wanton destruction of lives and crops of our people.
“ESN will do the needful. We shall no longer allow lawbreakers to have a field day after inflicting physical and economic harm on innocent victims.
“The 12 Northern Muslim States already have their Hisbah police enforcing their Sharia law yet they claim Nigeria is one. Alcoholic beverages worth millions of Naira belonging to Biafrans doing their legitimate business in those states have been callously destroyed by these overzealous elements and nothing happened.
“Yet some wicked mortals masquerading as herders are daily openly grazing their cattle on our farms, kidnapping our folks for ransom, killing and rapping our mothers and sisters. The security agents not only show a blind eye to this unimaginable criminality but sometimes provide cover for the perpetrators.
“We, therefore, wish to remind all herders in Biafra land that the era of occupying our forests and grazing on our farms is gone. They have to vacate our forests and relocate to cities where other human beings live.
“Wandering about with cows can no longer be tolerated on Biafra soil. Anyone interested in cattle rearing will either build a ranch as obtains in civilized societies or leave Biafra land. Do not say you are not warned!
“We advise all herdsmen in Biafra land irrespective of their tribe to restrict themselves to the law of the land or relocate to regions where open grazing is allowed. Our patience will elapse after the expiration date of the 14-day ultimatum by our Leader.”