By Wilson Adekumola
A group under the auspices of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders in Imo State, has condemmed open grazing in state, noting that they had uncovered illegal grazing of cattle in farmlands in their communities, which has instilled hardship on farmers.
The President-General of the group, Goodluck Ibem, made this disclosure in a statement, stating that the open grazing has been banned a long time ago, and anyone or group of persons carrying out this barbaric act is on a wicked mission of taking the ancestral lands of theit community.
The group said no form of open grazing would be allowed in the entire Igboland, calling on the Department of State Services to move, as matter of urgency, and arrest the marauding herdsmen, who they said are armed with automatic rifles.
According to the group, “The unlawful occupation and destruction of farmlands in Obasa Assa community in Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State by herdsmen with their cattle has brought great famine on the people as their crops have been eaten up by the cows.
“The cattle and their headers have also sent indigenes of the community packing from their ancestral homes and community.
“Open grazing has been banned a long time ago, and anyone or group of persons still involved in such outdated practice is on a wicked mission of taking the ancestral lands of the community they are staying.”
The group said there was a bigger agenda than just cattle grazing which is only a smokescreen, saying this is more so as the herdsmen in the community parade with AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons.
“We demand that the Department of State Services immediately arrest these terrorists with AK-47 rifles parading as Fulani herdsmen in Obosa Assa community, and we demand payment of damages for crops and farmlands destroyed by the cows.
“We give those terrorists parading as herdsmen 48 hours to vacate the community immediately and never try or think to come back.”
