The Indigenous People of Biafra has asked the Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, to cancel any plans to establish a cattle ranch at Nimbo in the Uzowani community of Enugu State.
The pro-Biafran group, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Monday, insisted that it would reject such moves by the Enugu governor or by any South-East governor because it portends a dangerous omen for the region.
Powerful noted that if Mbah is interested in establishing a cattle ranch in Enugu State, such a ranch must be managed privately by an indigenous businessman.
The statement read, “Subsequent to the plans by the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to establish cattle ranch at Nimbo in Uzowani community of Enugu State, we, the global family IPOB, hereby advise Mbah to stop his sellout plans to bring the cattle ranch to Nimbo Community.
“Our people should recall that IPOB released a press statement last November 2023, raising an alarm over plans by Mbah to sell some community’s land to Fulani herdsmen to establish RUGA in return for political favours.
“The Enugu State government, in connivance with some community leaders, have mapped out some community’s land to be sold to Fulanis. The names of the community leaders in such connivance will be made public soon.
“Enugu State citizens must know about the arrangements of Mbah in giving away their ancestral lands to him for his political interests and compensation.”
According to the statement, IPOB is monitoring Mbah and his collaborators. IPOB noted that they will not allow the establishment of any cattle ranch anywhere in Enugu State. “If Mbah is genuinely interested in establishing a cattle ranch in Enugu State, such ranch must be managed privately by an indigenous businessman,” the statement added.
“Only Ndigbo are allowed to own cattle ranches anywhere in Igbo land. We don’t want to have non-indigenes operating any cattle ranch in Igbo land.
“Mbah should not allow what happened at Eha Mufu two years ago to repeat itself because of his need to chase a political clout. The governor should understand that IPOB is not joking.
“Mbah, if you want to have a smooth and peaceful regime in Enugu State, you must jettison the idea of establishing a Fulani cattle ranch in the state.”
The group said that based on the plans by the governor, ESN must be on alert and wait for an order from the IPOB leadership to move into Nimbo Community in Uzowani.
“We call on the community youths, community groups, and Enugu citizens to provide IPOB/ESN with any information of any proposed site for camp or ranch anywhere around Uzowani. ESN will stop at nothing to ensure that Peter Mbah and his government don’t establish RUGA in any part of Enugu State.
“We are also informing South-East governors to shun any idea of establishing cattle ranchs in any state in the South-East Region. IPOB and ESN operatives won’t allow any establishment of any camp in the name of cattle ranch in any state in the Biafra territory,” the group added.
