By Ralph Christopher
The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has commended the seventeen Governors of Southern Nigeria for their “courageous and strategic move in banning open grazing of cattle in Southern Nigeria.”
ADF, which said it has been in the forefront of the agitation for the banning of open grazing in Igboland since 2015 gave the commendation in a statement by Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, its President, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi, Vice-President, Bishop Obi Onubogu, Chairman, Board of Trustees and Abia Onyike, Chairman, Bureau of Media & Publicity.
The group, however, urged the Southern Governors to ensure that their resolution was backed by the appropriate legislation, “which is the most potent strategy to prevent the monstrous and murderous Fulani Herdsmen from overrunning their states.
“The law to be passed in the State Houses of Assembly should be accompanied by clear modalities, instrumentalities and machineries for their enforcement.
“The effectiveness of this move depends on the synergy between the governors, the legislators and the people including the civil society organizations.
“ADF wishes to draw the attention of the Southern Governors and Legislators to the obvious fact that our fate in the current struggle for survival is intricately interwoven with the fate of our fellow compatriots in the Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna,” and noted “the gallant and courageous resistance against the jihadist propensities in the Middle Belt by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
“There is need for the Southern Governors to extend their solidarity to him and the people of Benue State.”
The group concluded their statement by calling for the people to be ready to defend themselves: “In the face of determined and generalized campaign by the jihadists to overrun Nigeria through the mass infiltration of their forces into several Communities in Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, there is the urgent need to call on the people to get ready to defend themselves as the security agencies have over time proved incapable of defending the people against these murderous invaders.”
