The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, has warned governors of South-East states, especially, governors of Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo states, that land in the region was not available for grab for ‘Fulani’ in the name of ranching/settlements in any part of the region.
Reminding the governors that the South-East landmass measures 29,525km2, which is less than one state landmass in Northern Nigeria, Intersociety advised the governors, particularly, governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, to back off from any form of moves under whatever guises or camouflages, aimed at establishing herders’ settlements in any part of their respective states.
Intersociety said in a report it released on Wednesday, “These moves must be done away with in the entire South-East or be lawfully and popularly resisted.”
In the report, signed by its principal officers, led by Emeka Umeagbalasi, the group said it had observed that between December 2023 and February 2024, despite denials and reasons given by the governors and their governments or defences publicly made to justify the widely suspected politically-motivated moves to establish the so-called “non-native trailer parks” or “agro-industrial farms” or “mechanized farm settlements” or “modern cow ranching,” among others; most social clusters have remained saturated with strong suspicions that the governors and their governments are being economical with the truth.
It added, “While such moves have clandestinely been intensified at sub-state government level in Anambra State since 2022, through the Ministry of Homeland Security and its commissioner; in Enugu and Abia states, they are believed to have reared their ugly heads since December 2023 after the electoral apex court judgments in the 2023 governorship polls in the two states.
Governors Warned On Ranching In South-East
