… Vows to resist it
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has sternly warned Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State against establishing cattle ranch otherwise known as ‘RUGA’ at Nimbo Community in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of the state.
IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, accused the Governor of pursuing an agenda inimical to Ndigbo.
According to the pro-Biafra movement, establishing cattle ranch on any Igbo soil will make such a place susceptible for Islamisation.
IPOB vowed to stoutly resist any attempt to establish cattle ranch in any part of Igboland, arguing that herders will use it as a guise to attack the hapless host community.
Below is a full text of the statement made available to Ikengaonline:
“Subsequent to the plans by the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mba to establish cattle ranch at Nimbo in Uzowani community of Enugu State, we the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indefatigable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hereby advise Governor Peter Mba to stop his sellout plans to bring the murderous jihadist Fulanis to Nimbo Community.
“Our people should recall that IPOB released a press statement last November 2023, raising an alarm over plans by Governor Peter Mba to sell some community’s (sic) land to Fulani bandits to establish RUGA in return for political favours. The Enugu State Government, in connavince with some community leaders, has mapped out some community’s land to be sold to Fulanis. The names of the community leaders in such connivance will be made public soon. Enugu State citizens must know about the arrangements of Dr. Peter Mba in giving away their ancestral lands to the murderous bandits for his political interests and compensation.
“IPOB is monitoring Governor Peter Mba and his collaborators. They should understand that IPOB will not allow the establishment of any murderous camp for jihadist Fulanis in the name of cattle ranch anywhere in Enugu State. If Governor Peter Mba is genuinely interested in establishing a cattle ranch in Enugu State, such ranch must be managed privately by an Igbo businessman. Only Ndigbo are allowed to own cattle ranches anywhere in Igbo land. We don’t want to have murderous Fulanis operating any cattle ranch in Alaigbo.
“Governor Peter Mba should not allow what happened at Eha Mufu two (2) years ago to repeat itself because of his need to chase a political clout. The governor should understand that IPOB is not joking. We must chase away murderous fulani jihadist herdsmen anywhere they are seen in the South East Region. If Fulani herdsmen has paid Dr. Peter Mba or any Traditional Leader for any parcel of Land in Enugu State, they should better go and collect their money back. Dear Dr. Peter Mba, if you want to have a smooth and peaceful regime in Enugu State, you must jettison the idea of establishing a fulani cattle ranch in the state.
“ESN must be on an alert and wait for an order from the IPOB leadership to move into Nimbo Community in Uzowani. We call on the community youths, community groups, and Enugu citizens to provide IPOB/ESN with any information of any proposed site for Fulani camp or ranch anywhere around Uzowani. ESN will stop at nothing to ensure that Peter Mba and his government don’t establish RUGA in any part of Enugu State.
“We are also informing South-East Governors to shun any idea of establishing cattle ranch in any state in the South East Region. IPOB and ESN Operatives won’t allow any establishment of Fulani camp in the name of cattle ranch in any state in the Biafra territory.”
