Ban on consumption of ‘Fulani beef’ still in force in South-East – IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday ruled out the withdrawal of the ban on the consumption of cow meat brought from the North in the South-East.

The group had last year banned the consumption of what it described as “Fulani beef” in the South-East to protest the killing of the Igbos by suspected herdsmen in the South-East.

The ban took effect in April.

In a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB declared that the ban was still in force.

The statement read: “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra under the leadership and command of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again that any projects or advice or order issued by IPOB, either as a short, mid or long term project must be accomplished.

“The saying that ‘old habits die hard’ is applicable to some attitudes and lifestyles that have been with our people for a long time and cannot be changed overnight. For instance, the long preservation of corpses in the mortuary and the ban on consumption of Fulani cow meat.

“These are lifestyles that have been with our people that cannot be changed overnight but it’s a mid/long term project that must be accomplished.

READ ALSO: IPOB does not speak for Igbos, Ohanaeze reacts to beef ban

“IPOB giving advice or issuing orders, as the case may be, does not mean that everything will stop overnight. Therefore, IPOB members who have been toughened by the long-term project for Biafra struggle and people with intelligent minds understand instructions that are immediate and the ones that require a bit of time to accomplish.

“Whatever advice or order IPOB gives, will always have our people’s interest and welfare at the centre of such order. Some of the brilliant advice or orders we have issued will require time and continuous efforts and sensitisation before they can be accomplished.

“IPOB has never and can never abandon the project of ending Fulani cow meat consumption in Biafraland. But we want our people to increase the breeding of our own local cows (Efi Igbo) before the order will be fully implemented.

“We are happy that the order has recorded very good progress in the sense that hitherto we have one or two people rearing Efi Igbo( Igbo cows) but today more people are going into that business.”

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