In a release signed by Enyinnaya Appolos,
the Abia State Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Governor Okezie
Ikpeazu, rejected plans by the federal government to establish “cattle
colonies” for Fulani herdsmen and their cows in Abia State.
Governor Ikpeazu stated that Abia State will not cede any part of her territory to Fulani herdsman as colony for cattle.
“We reject any plan to establish cattle colonies for herdsmen
in Abia State. We don’t have enough land for our agricultural activities
and our people want more land.
“Giving away any part of Abia land as a colony to herdsmen,
wherever they may be from, will be most unjust and unfair treatment to
Abia State and her people who are largely farmers.”
“Such alien land occupation will also cause unrest and crisis
that may grow beyond what we can handle when it happens, so the best
thing I think we should do is to reject such plans so that those behind
it will know that Abia State is not party to it.”
The Buhari-led federal government in the aftermath of recent
killings of over 70 persons in Benue State by suspected herdsmen and
other similar killings across the country, had announced plans to set up
grazing colonies in states in the southern and middle belt regions of
the country to reduce skirmishes between herdsmen and farmers.