‘No herdsmen expelled from our community’

The people of Agbada Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, members of the Hausa/Fulani community and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the Southeast have dissociated themselves from a video trending on social media over the purported expulsion of some herders and their cattle from the community.

The police had denied that no such incident happened, explaining that after preliminary investigations, it was revealed that what transpired was “only the movement of cattle and herders from Cross River State, through Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, and a neighbouring town for grazing”.

The police added that “such transit had nothing to do with escorting herders and their cattle out of Agbada Nenwe community”.

When Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led the Commissioner of Police, Director of Department of State Services (DSS), Garrison Commander, 82 Division of the Army, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Commandant of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other stakeholders on a fact-finding visit to Agbada Nenwe yesterday, the traditional ruler, Dr. Francis Imo, said the video is untrue, stressing that “nobody drove the Fulani community out of Agbada Nenwe”.

The monarch added that they enjoy cordial relationship with the Fulani community, noting that “no cow has ever been killed in this kingdom; no Fulani man has ever been hurt”.

He said: “We have continued to maintain peace as directed by Governor Ugwuanyi, who has always urged all the traditional rulers to maintain security and unity of the country, to make sure that we live peacefully with one another”.

Chairman of Aninri Ezekiel Chukwu said immediately he got wind of the rumour he “rushed to the community with the security agencies in the council and could not establish the occurrence of such incident”.

The council chairman assured the people to continue to go about their normal business without fear or panic. “We are assuring you that we will continue to maintain peace and security of lives and property,” he said.

On their part, leaders of the Northern community and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Southeast zone, who thanked Ugwuanyi for his commitment to peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians resident in the state, said they have not come across any herder or Fulani man who has complained of molestation or being chased out from the community.

The Sarkin Hausawa, Alhaji Abukakar Yusuf Sambo, said: “We have been enjoying peaceful co-existence in Enugu State, and we are here to say that mischief makers will not succeed.”

Chairman of MACBAN Alhaji Gidado Siddiki cautioned the people against “the harm our individual or group’s unruly act can cause the wider society beyond our immediate environment”.

“It is my sincere plea that while we genuinely seek our individual or group interests, we encourage collective good of all and healthy cohesion for virile nationhood.

“I thank the government of Enugu State, and indeed the governments of the Southeast states, for their nurturing cordiality among residents of their states and other persons whose businesses are of economic value”.

Ugwuanyi appealed to peddlers of false news to note that Enugu is a peaceful state.

The governor maintained that “Enugu State, as we declared during our first ever Oganiru Investment Summit, is open for business and a home for all”. He reassured both the indigenes and non-indigenes of the community that the state is secure and remains one of the most peaceful state in the country.

“As a government, we assure and reassure both the indigenes and non-indigenes of this community that Enugu State is secure and remains one of the most peaceful states in the country,” he governor added.