Nnamdi Kanu gives Southeast governors 14 days ultimatum to ban open grazing

Nnamdi Kanu gives Southeast governors 14 days ultimatum to ban open grazing The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamd...

Nnamdi Kanu gives Southeast governors 14 days ultimatum to ban open grazing

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Southeast governors to ban all forms of open grazing in the region in compliance with the 1969 Statutory Law of Nigeria.

Kanu, who issued the notice through IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, warned that the group’s security outfit would commence the enforcement of the Anti-Grazing Law across the entire region if no action was taken at the expiration of the ultimatum.

He commended the step taken by the governors in the Southwest in banning open grazing in their region, insisting that such move must be reciprocated and consolidated in the eastern region.

The statement read, “We wish to humbly and most submissively call upon all the governors of the East, to as a matter of urgency, ban all manner of open grazing in the region in compliance with the 1969 statutory law of #Nigeria that banned such provocative and primitive practice by Fulani herdsmen.

“The bold step taken by Yoruba governors in banning open grazing in their region is commendable and as such must be reciprocated and consolidated by a similar pronouncement in the East.

“If after 14 days there is no firm and decisive action by Eastern governors to ban open grazing in our land, #ESN will step into the breach to commence the enforcement of this 1969 Anti-Grazing Law across the entire region. Don’t say you were not informed or given prior warning.”

This is even as traditional rulers in Imo State have commenced meetings to take stock of the destruction that trailed the clash between the Nigerian Army and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a security outfit of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Our investigation revealed that many lives were lost and billions of Naira worth of properties, including a church, Blessed Holy Trinity Sabbath Mission, in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, were destroyed during the clash which started last Friday.

But an insider told The Nation that normalcy is gradually returning to the area with residents coming out of their hiding but the residents, particularly farmers, are complaining that military helicopters are still hovering over their farmlands.

A farmer, Nze Obinna Okorocha, said that people have started returning from their hideouts and homes.

“We are moving to our farmlands but the planes are still flying over our farmland.”

Meanwhile, traditional rulers of all the autonomous communities in Orlu are meeting to take count of the destructions.

Speaking to our correspondent yesterday, the Chairman of Traditional Rulers Institutions and Community Policing in the state, HRH Eze Emmanuel Okeke, said there were heavy losses, adding that he was in the meeting with other traditional rulers in the local governments where the incident had taken place for the assessment of the loss.

“We are gathering information on the level of destruction in all autonomous communities in Orlu where the clash took place.”

While thanking the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, for intervening in the situation, he said the curfew helped to bring the situation under control.

He called for ceasefire and appealed to the youths to lay down their arms and embrace peace.

Meanwhile, the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, said his condition for withdrawing his security outfit depends on the movement of the military out of the local government areas.

Kanu, who spoke to The Nation through his Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said his men would come out of the area as soon as the military withdrew their troop out of the area.

“Our movement depends on the decision of the military to leave the area,” he said.

Source