Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned that severe curse awaits any Southern Governor who bows to the Federal Government’s planned return of grazing routes.
Ohanaeze spoke in a statement on Sunday by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.
He declared that the timing of President Muhammadu Buhari’s order was to intimidate the governors into reversing the open grazing ban which takes effect September, 1.
The Igbo group, however, said no land was available for grazing routes in the region, vowing to declare as enemy, any Governor who bows to the Federal Government’s pressure.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide beseechs the Southeast Governors to resist the temptation of giving up the stance on open grazing ban by Southern Governors owing President Buhari’s approval of the 368 grazing Reserves in 25 States.
“Any Governor who donates lands for grazing reserves in Igboland to Fulani herdsmen will face curses, ex-communication, and consequences as number one enemy of Ndigbo,” Okechukwu said in the statement.
He vowed that “Ndigbo will not condone further obnoxious policies from the Federal Government aimed at helping the enemies, especially the murderous herdsmen to erect a” TALIBAN STATE” in southeastern Nigeria.
“There are no available lands for Grazing reserves or Ruga anywhere in the East; we hope that no Igbo Governor will sabotage this verdict, as it won’t go without sanctions.
“The timing of the approval of 368 Grazing reserves by the Federal Government appears to be a way of checkmating the implementation of the ban on open grazing by southern Governors.
“We are aware of the possibility of FG using the instruments of power to deny such Governor some privileges. Nevertheless, we urge the Governors to warm their hearts in Southern Nigerians as PEOPLE’s GENERALS, as posterity will be fair to those who never betrayed the confidence of their citizens”.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide wishes to state clearly to the Federal Government that there are no available lands for Grazing reserves anywhere in the southeast
“The disaster associated with the planned grazing reserves will bring catastrophe and conflicts in the future in the southeast.
“FG should concentrate on Grazing reserves in 19 Northern states where there is enormous landmass for herdsmen, as extending it to the South had reinforced our suspicion that FG is determined to destroy the implementation of open grazing ban in the South from 1st September 2021, and Ndigbo will withstand it,” he further stated.