We’ll not allow ranching in South-East, IPOB vows

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed never to allow any state governor in the South-East to give any land in the region for ranching or any agricultural purposes to external forces.

IPOB made the vow on Thursday in a press statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful.

The Pro-Biafran group insisted that there is no land in the south-east for ranching.

The group’s vow was not unconnected to President Bola Tinubu’s directive for state governors to provide land for ranching in their state.

The statement read in part: “The attention of the global family of IPOB has been drawn to a call from President Tinubu to the state governors to provide land in each state for ranching. IPOB considers such a call as a great disservice to the people who have been massacred by the same foreign marauding terrorists nicknamed herdsmen.

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“Nigerian media yesterday reported what could be considered as a great disservice, the president’s call during a political inauguration of his agricultural programme in Niger State, where he was said to have asked the state governors to provide land for RUGA and ranches.

“Perhaps the president has forgotten that political campaigns where promises are made to win elections are over. The recent public call for the state governors to provide land for agriculture is not in good fate because it will embolden terrorist herdsmen.

“Nevertheless, we in the IPOB movement and family will never allow ceding or selling any part of our ancestorial land to these dangerous terrorists and bandits for whatever reason. The Biafra region has no land for whatever purpose. Biafrans are farmers and pastoralists, too.

“Our lands are not sufficient for Biafrans to farm and rear livestock, let alone ceding some to the dangerous terrorists. President Tinubu can cede lands in the South-West and the North, but definitely not in the South-East and South-South.

“IPOB calls all the governors in Biafra land not to surrender Biafra land by obeying the political call to give lands for RUGA and ranching. IPOB and Ndigbo, in general, will resist any governor who gives or sells any land to Fulanis for whatever purpose.

“The former administration of Muhammadu Buhari, adopted all tricks in the book to establish Ruga settlements in all the states, but Nigerians resisted them. It is unfortunate that Tinubu’s government, which has subjected Nigerians to an avoidable hunger and economic disaster, is pushing an agenda that will further increase food scarcity and insecurity in the contraption called Nigeria.”

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