From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Fulani socio-cultural Association, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, yesterday, warned that recent unprovoked attacks on herders by persons suspected to be Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East portend grave danger to the country’s unity and the 2023 general elections.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, leader of the association, Saleh Alhassan, who lamented the increasing spate of attacks of members, including setting ablaze of truckloads of cows, cautioned that the trend is capable of escalating insecurity ahead of the general elections.
He also accused some state governments of collecting funds for ranching and refusing to deploy it into use, announcing that the herders were ready to adopt the ranching option.
“We are calling on governors, particularly of the South East, to protect our people and their businesses in their states, because as we gradually move towards the 2023 elections, we are seeing heightened aggression against our peace-loving herders in the southern part of the country.
“And this portends grievous danger to the unity of this country, and even to the successful conduct of the forthcoming elections, if these threats are not nipped in the bud.
‘We also viewed the continuous deterioration of security in our rural areas, where you have bandits who have taken over most of the ungoverned spaces, and only unleashing terror on our communities, particularly in states like Zamfara, part of Niger State, and we call on the security agencies to redouble their efforts in ensuring there is peace in our rural areas,” he said.