By Vincent Ujumadu
Awka- THREE communities in Anambra East local government area of Anambra State have warned that they would not tolerate cattle grazing in their areas this coming dry season, arguing that they were yet to recover from their ugly experiences with the herdsmen in the past.
The decision was already creating tension in the area as there were fears of likely clashes between the people and the herdsmen.
Rising from a meeting where the decision was taken, the traditional rulers of Aguleri Otu, Mkpunando and Eziagulu Otu had already made their position known to Governor Willie Obiano on the matter.
Their fear was that as the dry season approached, there would be limited amount of pasture for cattle grazing, adding that the Fulani herdsmen might want to fall back on their lands located on the bank of Anambra River, which they said, they would not tolerate.
The royal fathers said they were still “recuperating from the wounds of hardship, incessant threat to lives and colossal damage to our crops which we suffered last dry season and could therefore not take further damage.”
In a communique issued after the meeting chaired by the traditional ruler of Mkpunando, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, with his deputy, Igwe Udorji Ikegbunam of Eziagulu Otu, the people resolved never to allow the herdsmen to return to their land again.
The communiqué read: “We agreed that we are no longer ready to live in perpetual fear of the herdsmen or condone unwarranted destruction of our crops hence the decision not to allow the Fulani Herdsmen graze on our lands as from this season.
“The Igwes and the entire communities in Enugwu- Otu, Eziagulu-Otu and Mkpunando, therefore, for the interest of peace, call on the Anambra State government and all relevant security agencies, to warn the Fulani herdsmen to steer clear of our lands from this dry season.
“We will not take it lightly if we see any cow, cattle or herdsmen attempt to disregard this all important warning and come to our lands.”
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Speaking after the meeting, Igwe Edozieuno lamented the losses they suffered in the hands of Fulani herdsmen, regretting that his people, who are predominantly farmers, now buy food in the market because the cattle of the herdsmen ate up whatever they planted in their farms.
He also alleged that women from the affected communities had been severally raped, while men who resisted the herdsmen were fought and injured.
“Each time the herdsmen come with their cattle, they chase away farmers from their farm lands so that their cattle can graze freely. Now that the herdsmen are no longer in the area, the communities have vowed that they will not allow them to return,” he said.
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