MASSOB Rejects Establishment Of Cattle Colonies In South East

Fulani herdsmen with their cattle (File Photo)

The Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has faulted the plans by the federal government to set up cattle ranches in military barracks, particularly those in the South East.

The body also maintained cattle colonies can be established in other parts of the country, but not in the South East.

MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Sunny Okereafor, stated that cattle rearing is private business, hence the federal government has no business setting up ranches in military barracks or any other location on behalf of private individuals.

“They came with cattle colony, and now cattle ranches in military barracks all in a bid to placate a small segment of the country at the detriment of others.” He said this must be resisted.

The MASSOB spokesperson, however stated they are committed to finding a non-violent solution to the saga but warned that they might be forced to react when pushed against the wall.

Meanwhile, The Sun also reports that the leadership of the South East Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s lukewarm attitude to the killings of several people in Benue, Taraba and Adamawa states by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.

The body also expressed support for the anti open grazing laws instituted by the Benue state government under Governor Samuel Ortom.

The stance was made known by Vice President of South East PFN and General Overseer of the Charismatic Renewal Ministries, Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu, during a press conference yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

“President Buhari’s failure to respond promptly to this genocide in Benue State and his refusal to visit the affected communities score him very low in his value for human lives. Does it then mean that President Buhari places a higher premium on lives of cows than on that of human beings? When the incident of cattle rustling was reported in Zamfara, the president promptly mobilised the military to recover the stolen cattle and restore to the area.

“But now, when 73 innocent and helpless Nigerians were slaughtered in cold blood, the president did not show adequate concern. When he spoke after over two weeks of graveyard silence, it was not to condole with the people, it was not to condemn the unwarranted attacks on the people but to ask the people to accommodate their fellow Nigerians.

“The failure of security agencies to put a stop to these heinous attacks, goes to confirm the assertion in some quarters that a jihad is going on in Nigeria. The Fulani armed with AK47 assault rifles have been attacking mainly Christian communities in the North. Odinarily no one not permitted to carry a gun without a license and even with a license it is not an AK47 or machine guns which is what the Fulani militia have been moving about in the full glare of the security agencies without been arrested.”He said.

“We urge fellow Christians not to take up arms or take the law into their hand but to be security conscious. We align ourselves we align with the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria in rejecting the idea of establishing cattle colonies all over Nigeria . Cattle belong to individuals they don’t belong to the Nigerian nation .It will be a gross abuse of office to take over people’s lands and give to a group of others for their private business. So we support the anti open grazing laws of the Benue state and we urge other States to do the same .

Let the cattle owners adopt ranching which is the standard practice the world over.”