•Fulani herdsmen
Some indigenes of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State under the aegis of Uzo-Uwani Professional Association (UZPA), have protested against proposed establishment of a ranch in Nimbo community, by Governor Peter Mbah.
Enugu State Commissioner for Information and Communication Aka Eze Aka said in a statement that the project would also be cited in Isi-Uzo and Oji River Local Governments, to curtail open grazing, reports Daily Sun.
UZPA President Barr Chinedum Odenyi and Secretary Dan Asogwa, in a statement today, argued that such a project would expose the people to constant conflict with Fulani herders.
They recalled how in 2016, about 50 indigenes were killed because of open grazing; an incident they said should not repeat itself.
They contended that Uzo-Uwani people were not known for cattle business, but for crop farming, and vast timber reserves, which the government should take advantage of to shore up food production.
Besides, Odenyi and Asogwa, claimed that governor Mbah did not inform the indigenes of the community of the intended project, an act they said was disrespectful and violated their fundamental human right.
“The people of Nimbo, and Uzo-Uwani in general have stoutly risen in unison in opposition to the proposal, reading a more sinister objective in the proposed project and calling on the government to stop any further exploration of the subject around the geographic entity of Uzo-Uwani LGA.
“UZPA, having considered all the reactions on the issue, finds everything wrong with the proposal and calls on the Enugu State Government to immediately halt any further design and attempt to implement the proposed ranch project in any part of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.
“The project is not only insensitive, it is abrasive to the sensibilities of the people of Nimbo Community, and of Uzo-Uwani in general.
“The rearing and keeping of cattle is the major occupation of the Fulani ethnic group. And in Enugu State, it is still this group who constitute the herdsmen who wander from place to place, seeking vegetation as fodder for their cattle.
“On April 25, 2016, while the town slept, Nimbo was invaded by herdsmen who massacred the people at will, killing, maiming, burning homesteads and livestock pens.
“When the fire of their bloodthirsty orgy died down, about 50 indigenes and residents of Nimbo lay dead, those who survived had their limbs hacked.
“Today, eight years later, many are still carrying the physical and psychological trauma of that unprovoked sadistic revelry.
“It is astounding that it is lost on the Mbah administration the tragedy of this proposal in the context of the historical grief: that the innocent victims of a murderous invasion, would have their land, their most prized asset, expropriated by the State Government, to settle the perpetrators of the massacre. Such an irony; such pain.
“This is nothing short of rubbing salt into injury. Indeed, UZPA finds it a sign of a larger structural disdain for the people of this Local Government that the State Government even contemplated this project and had the sobriety to suggest that the location shall be Nimbo,” the statement read.
They advised the governor to rethink his ideas by championing the call for the establishment of state police to curb insecurity rather than endanger them.
“To tackle the insecurity which our people are facing and for which we have consistently pleaded for help, the Mbah administration should be in the forefront of implementing the State Police proposal which President Tinubu is mulling and make haste to secure our forests and homesteads from the evil machinations of marauders and blood merchants,” they said.
