Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman Southeast Governors’ Forum, David Nweze Umahi, on Monday announced the decision of the zone to ban open grazing of cattle.
Umahi who made the disclosure during All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders meeting at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, added that the zone also banned movement of cows by foot into the zone.
“Governors of South East have been calling on our leaders to speak out on the Security of the zone and unity of Nigeria. I read on paper where someone said he was giving Governors of South East 7-days to ban open grazing, the Governors of southeast have banned open grazing and movement of cows by foot into South East, in each of States of the South East, we are managing ourselves well, what we discuss with the herdsmen is the system in place for a long time”, he said
He cautioned people of the zone against instigating crises in the country through the dissemination of fake videos alleging killing of Fulanis by IPOB in the South East.
Adding:”What our people must know is that Security is not political, what is demanded of the leaders is to put up programmes that favor the people and foster national unity”
“In our forests today, we have the kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, all sorts of criminals, anybody staying in the forest is taking a risk, when we say that people should move out of the forests, it is for their safety and security, so I support that kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, and bandits should be flushed out of our forests”
The Governor used the occasion to officially flag off the APC Revalidation and Registration Committee and charged the Caretaker Committees to ensure the successful conduct of the exercise.
Earlier, the Acting Chairman of APC in the State, Chief Stanley Emegha, said the meeting was convened to upgrade the membership of the party in the State and called on the stakeholders to support the exercise to fully reintegrate members of to party.
“We have made it clear that Ebonyi is APC and the National will be expecting us to prove it, proving it is by us coming out and participating in the exercise massively, make whatever sacrifice to the betterment of the State because we must use the exercise to prove a point that Ebonyi State is APC and APC is Ebonyi State,” he stated.