… bans grazing around schools, religious centers
GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the arrest of any underage Fulani cattle rearer grazing in any part of the state.
Umahi gave the directive after a closed-door security council meeting with members of the Myeitti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, security chiefs, local government chairmen, coordinators and members of his executive council.
The governor, who briefed journalists in Abakaliki, through his Deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, also threatened that the chief herder or custodian of such underage herders would be prosecuted by the police in accordance with the law.
The Point reports that all attendees at the security meeting adopted the communique.
The governor said, “We looked at very serious issues that bordered on security in the state and arrived at very far reaching decisions. Among the issues we looked at are the killings of members of Myeitti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Ebonyi State; the rape cases that were reported by community leaders, in some cases, the Development Centre Coordinators and some council Chairmen in Ebonyi State; the destruction of our farmlands and the attack of some communities by some persons suspected to be Myeitti Allah.
“We arrived at this communique that, henceforth, members of Myeitti Allah and their leaders must take responsibility of any destruction of farm, crops, properties, including any attack on any community in Ebonyi State. Rape cases are not exempted from this. They must produce, within seven days, for arrest and prosecution, perpetrators of such dastardly act from among their members.”
He added, “Community leaders and traditional rulers, Development Centre Coordinators, Local Government Council Chairmen and our political office holders must take responsibility and produce killer armed herdsmen for arrest and prosecution within seven days. Henceforth, herders must reside in the communities where they graze their cattle.
“The various communities are by this meeting empowered to arrest and hand over to the police any underage cattle rearer grazing within their communities and the Chief herder who is a custodian of such underage person should be prosecuted by the police in accordance with the police by our law.
“All persons carrying arms on our concrete roads must be arrested and handed over to the police within seven days for prosecution by the community where such infractions occur. Rearing and grazing of cattle within and around Centenary City, Government House, Schools, Churches, Mosques and public places of recreation are hereby prohibited and offenders must be prosecuted according to our law within seven days of their arrest.”
The governor directed all local government chairmen in the state to liaise with the Myeitti Allah leadership to produce an identity card for all the herders operating within their local government areas.
