Diaspora Igbo urge South East governors to sign anti-open grazing bill

The Igbo World Assembly (IWA) has called on the southern governors, particularly those of the South East, to sign the anti-open grazing bill into law in their respective states.

They, however, commended those that have already assented to the bill.

Chairman of the Diaspora group, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, in a virtual world press conference yesterday, said Nigerians were tired of watching armed Fulani herdsmen and Miyetti Allah grabbing lands from indigenous Nigerians and giving them to their Fulani brethren from all West African countries.

The group said nowhere else in the world, civilised or otherwise, are cattle allowed to parade the streets across towns and cities unchecked.

While pushing for a restructuring of the country with structured state policing, the IWA said: “It is time to rise up boldly against nefarious activities, indiscriminate killings and land grabs disguised as open grazing. Ranching should be a private business; the government can only give incentives for all farmers, not to a specific section of the country.

“Kudos to those southern governors, who understand the nefarious activities of the cattle herdsmen in our home states and the devastating impact of open grazing in our home soil and vegetation, not to mention the corresponding crimes and intimidation to our people.”

According to Anakwenze, those governors must understand that they serve at the pleasure of the electorate of their respective states.

The Igbo group praised the South West, South-South and a few South-East governors who put the interests of the people first and chose to sign the anti-open grazing bill into law.

He was optimistic that Nigeria would do well, with guaranteed security for lives and property and if people enjoy peace and tranquillity in their geopolitical zones, farms and livelihood assured.

“The collective opinion of IWA is that restructuring of the country with structured state policing, jettisoning of open grazing as a panacea will guarantee the security of life and property across the federation. IWA believes that Nigeria will not develop at the current rate and may eventually break up unless the country is restructured.

“We are also in support of the resolutions of the southern governors at Asaba, Delta State, as the only way out of the debacle in which we found ourselves in present Nigeria. These southern governors’ call for restructuring and national confab should be taken seriously by the Federal Government because the resolution has the best interest of Nigeria at heart,” he said.

Speaking on Ebubeagu, a security outfit like Amotekun, established to curb insecurity in the South East, Anakwenze expressed deep that Ebubeagu has yet to be implemented as was planned because of politics and insincerity of those in position to make it happen.