Ban cattle grazing, Oganiru Ndi-Igbo urges southeast Governors

An Igbo group, Igbo Improvement Union (Oganiru Ndi-Igbo), yesterday, urged governors of the Southeast geo-political zone to place a total ban on cattle grazing in all parts of the region, stressing that the Houses of Assembly should enact a law to that effect.

The socio-political and cultural organisation, after a detailed review of the state of Igbo in Nigeria, especially the bloodletting within the zone in recent time, called for a day of mourning and prayers for the re-dedication of the people of the zone to God. It also alleged that the Igbo tribe seemed to be marked for socio-political and economic emasculation, stressing the need to cry to God for divine intervention.

In a communiqué issued after their meeting in Abakaliki, the group stated, “Igbo Improvement Union (Oganiru Ndi-Igbo) urges Ndi-Igbo to make Godliness and love of God the center piece of their life. The Union set up a committee to liaise with the Christian Association of Nigeria and leading men of God from Igboland in order to work out a comprehensive programme of sanctification of the Ani-Igbo and the Re-dedication of Ndigbo to the Lord God Almighty”.

Signed by the President-General of the group Barr Ugochukwu Agballah and other leaders, including Senator Anthony Agbo; former Speaker Enugu state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Eugene Odoh and Chief Edozie Njoku, the communiqué said Ndigbo has lost hundreds of sons and daughters, as well as, farmlands worth millions of naira to herdsmen, whose alleged murderous activities have become unbearable.

While opposing the proposal for government’s creation of grazing reserves, the group advised that cattle rearing should be seen as private business enterprise. It warned that the activities of the herdsmen, if not checked, were capable, more than any other factor, of causing the bloody breakup of the nation.

On the menace of erosion in the South East zone, the body said they have concluded plans to embark on planting of five million cashew seedlings to check the menace and also boost the economy of the zone. It expressed support for the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government, but urged that it be comprehensive so as to cover the three-tiers of government.