Herdsmen: South-East Monarchs Advocate Establishment Of Cattle Ranches

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, May 13th, 2016

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

The South-East traditional Rulers Council have advocated the establishment of cattle ranches in Nigeria by private investors, as a measure to check the incessant feud between herdsmen and farmers.

Dr. Eberechi Dick, Chairman of the council, made the suggestion in Enugu Friday when some of its members, paid a solidarity visit to Enugu state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, over the recent suspected fulani herdsmen deadly attack on Nimbo community in Uzo Uwani local government area of the state

The chairman stated that the Federal Government would be doing a disservice to the unity of the nation if it dabbled into the creation of grazing reserves across the Nigeria.

According to him, traditional rulers in the south east Nigeria, were pained by the Nimbo massacre.

He told the Governor that: “We are here on a solidarity visit and to console you over the sad and unfortunate incident that took place in Nimbo community.

“We also note with regret the failure of security agencies to timely intervene in the incursion of the suspected herdsmen,”.

The monarch, had urged to the president Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to as a matter of urgency take necessary steps to disarm all herdsmen who were reported to be carrying arms.

“Herdsmen should not be allowed to carry arms apart from the traditional bows and arrows.

“On the rumoured grazing bill, our position is that cattle rearing is a private business and that government should not dabble into it as this will mean favouring one part of the country unduly.

“There should be cattle ranches established by private cattle owners where they are convenient to be established just as it is done all over the world,” .

The chairman praised Enugu State Government for the mature and proactive measures it put in place to ensure the incident did not degenerate into an ethno crisis..

Governor Ugwuanyi, in his response, described the visit as reassuring, adding that it confirmed the sense of brotherhood in the people of the zone, particularly in times of distress.

The governor said he was confident that his administration had put measures in place to avert future occurrence through the reactivation of the neighbourhood watch in line with extant law.

He told the visitors that his administration holds traditional rulers in high esteem, and will continue to accord them the respect and recognition they deserve.