*…Says they do not have enough land for such business.
The people of Asa, the indigenous people of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State have asked Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led administration to take the establishment of Fulani cattle settlement/market to his own community.
This was contained in a peaceful protest against the decision of the Governor by the Asa people.
The protesters urged the Governor to relocate the Cattle market/settlement to his Umuobiakwa Community in Obingwa Local Government Area, stressing that they do not have enough land for such business.
The peaceful demonstration which started from the Obehie- Akwete-Azumini-Ukanafun Highway to the Aba-Port Harcourt Highway which led to several minutes of gridlock restricting vehicular movements on the two Highways.
Led by the Asa Development Union (ADU), their Apex socio-cultural body, the people carried placards with messages such as, “Take the cattle market to Umuobiakwa Obingwa (Gov Ikpeazu’s village); Fulani Herdsmen are destroying our farms on daily basis. Ukwa needs government protection not cattle market; Site the cattle market at Umuobiakwa based on its proximity to Aba.”
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Other inscriptions on the placards include: “The most suitable developmental project for the oil rich Ukwa in 21 years of democracy is Cattle Market; Is cattle market the panacea for many years of dehumanization, despoliation, marginalization of Ukwa people by successive government of Abia State? Cattle market is pregnant with underdevelopment, crimes like kidnapping, armed robbery, rape etc.”
ADU stated that the nuisance of Fulani herdsmen and their activities of maiming, raping, kidnapping, banditry and destruction of farm crops cannot be accommodated in Ukwa land, hence the hue and cry of Ukwa people.
Journalists were led to the large parcel of land at Obehie-Asa, where the said cattle settlement /market approved by the Abia State Government for Fulani herdsmen, cows of large numbers were seen moving uncontrollably within the area with few herders on ground.
Addressing the media in a press statement signed by Dr. Onwubiko Dike, President General ADU and the Dr. IK Ajuzieogu, Secretary General, ADU said the essence of the peaceful demonstration is to make it clear that Ukwa people are not willing to give out their land for any cattle related business.
Reading out their decisions on the cattle settlement/market, ADU said, “Of course, it is in the public domain that the raging countrywide insecurity orchestrated by Fulani herdsmen has become a palpably recurrent decimal threatening national security.
“Already, the Fulani herdsmen are all over Ukwa West LGA, especially Owaza and Obiakpu communities perpetrating heinous crimes including kidnapping of our people and demanding ransom. Incidents of this ugly scenario have been well recorded in the diary of the Divisional Police Headquarters, Obehie-Asa.
“Ukwa land should not be mortgaged for nasty, obnoxious, irrational, repugnant and unconscionable political interests. Cattle Market at Obehie is a political narcissism of the most bizarre order.
“Ukwa people totally reject this cold and callous political impunity of cattle market verging on a terribly mischievous and wickedly marooned power mongering. “The rage of Asa Development Union is against the dying conscience of whoever is playing politics of cattle market to enslave and suffer the souls of innocent Ukwa people under absolutely false facade of development.
“Abia State Government should look elsewhere for cattle market as Ukwa land cannot accommodate the asphyxiating and anathematizing living conditions associated with such projects,” they said.
ADU notes that Ukwa West LGA has the smallest landmass in Abia and as the only oil producing area in the state; a substantial landmass is interspersed with oil and gas pipelines such that a small patch of land is left out for agricultural activities from which the people eke a living.
They stressed that the grave implication of public health challenges of zoonosis of Trypanosomiasis (a deadly protozoan sleeping sickness) outbreak as a result of cattle market will be a life threatening danger to their people and should not be contemplated.
ADU stated that there is a groundswell of overarching uneasiness and disenchantment of Ukwa people with the worsening spectre of unbridled land acquisition vis-a-vis acquisition of nearly 10,000 hectares of Ukwa land for the proposed Enyimba Economic City that has culminated in the death of Mr. Nwamaka Ogbuji of Ugwuati-Asa on Wednesday, January 15 2020.
“Consequently, the vexation issue of cattle Market at Obehie-Asa is being perceived as an aggravated assault on Ukwa people by the present Abia State Government.”
HERE IS THE VIDEO OF THE PROTEST BELOW
