The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has stated that it will resist any attempt to bring grazing reserves to the Southeastern Nigeria.
The group spoke on Monday, after Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore called for such reserves to be created in the Southeast.
Ohanaeze described the grazing reserves demanded by Miyetti Allah as a sinister move that threatens national security and peace.
The Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the demand was “unreasonable, unrealistic and hallucinations of daydreamers.”
A statement by Isiguzoro said the Fulani group should respect the ban on open grazing and cattle routes by the Southern governors.
Isiguzoro said: “Cattle rearing and businesses all over the world remain an individual enterprise and private business like other people who are in businesses of garments, mechanics and food vendors, the use of threats of violence to give conditions for peace shows that the Fulani organizations indirectly indicted themselves for being responsible for the crisis associated with farmers and herders across the country.
“Ndigbo has responded that the perceived demands for 415 grazing reserves across the country have sinister and wicked motives aimed at fuelling the disintegration of the country and land grabbing against the indigenous people is a threat to National Security and Peace, there are no grazing routes and lands for grazing reserves in the southeast, the Southeast Governors ban on the conveyance of cattle by foot is still effective in the southeast, and Miyetti Allah should abide by the decisions of Ndigbo not to accede lands for grazing reserves”.
On the demands for the Ministry of Nomadic Affairs with a mandate to broaden educational opportunities and address the pastoral challenges, Isiguzoro said: “It’s at the prerogative of the President to do so, but there’s no need for irrational duplications of Ministries, the Ministry of Education and humanitarian affairs are headed by Northerners, if there are challenges with Miyetti Allah, they should seek the help of the two Northern ministers, for now, there’s no reason why there should be a Ministry of Nomadic Affairs or attempts to coax Federal Government to create one.”
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‘Establish Ministry of Nomadic Affairs’ – Miyetti Allah Tells FG
‘We Will Resist Attempt to Bring Grazing Reserves to the Southeast’ – Ohanaeze