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By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha
The Nsukka Platform, Asaba, Delta State has vehemently rejected the plan by the Enugu State Government to establish ranches in Nimbo, Uzo -Uwani Local Government Area and other communities in the State.
The group in its meeting weekend condemned in its entirety the plan by the Enugu State Government to set ranches in Nimbo, Ikem – Nike and other communities in Isi Uzo Local Government Area as well as Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area of the State.
The State Government had told the Local Government chairmen of the affected local governments to inform the local leadership of the communities of the planned establishment of ranches in the respective communities.
The idea which was spontaneously rejected by the people of the respective communities attracted immediate protest and condemnation both from people and groups within and outside the communities among them the Ohaneze Ndigbo.
But the group in a statement made available to journalists weekend and signed by the chairman, Dr. Leonard Abonyi and the Secretary, Ejiofor Asogwa, described as “unfortunate that a Governor of South East extraction would think that the best thing to do for his people is to set up ranches in the State for the Fulanis who are known for their notorious and mindless killings, kidnappings, land grabbing and expansionism in various parts of the country “.
They recalled that these Fulani Herdsmen unleashed terror and mayhem on the people of Nimbo few years back, killing and maiming scores of the indigenes as well as setting their houses ablaze
Till this moment, Nsukka Platform noted that neither the Federal nor the state Government has done anything to compensate for the loss of lives, injury and incalculable damage inflicted on the people of this community, neither has the perpetrators been arrested nor arraigned.
” We want to state without equivocation that ranching is nothing but RUGA in disguise which the past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had tried to foist on the people of Nigeria in his ill-fated eight years rule which was roundly rejected by Nigerians” they said.
The group wondered what would be the economic importance of ranching for the communities in Enugu State that Governor Peter Mba would want to smuggle it through the back door, if not for bloodletting, oppression and subjection of the people into slavery in their own land.
They stated that what the Nimbo people and other communities in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area need now is the revival of the moribund Ada Rice Farm which can cater for the rice need of the entire South East and beyond as well as University of Agriculture, not RUGA in the name of ranching.
“Nsukka Platform joins other patriotic groups to reject ranching in Nimbo, Ikem Nkwo or any other community in the State in whatever disguise because of its capacity to cause unrest, mayhem, and bloodbath in the areas concerned now and in future. We say no to RUGA in whatever disguise” said the group.
The Nsukka Platform recalled the negative activities of Fulani Herdsmen and their clashes with farmers in Plateau State, Benue, Kwara, Adamawa and Kaduna States where thousands of people were sent to their early graves and several others severely injured and left homeless.
They warned that they don’t want such maiming and killings in their communities.
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