The indigenous people of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State today protested over invasion of their land by Fulani herdsmen. The protesters also REJECTED the proposed Cattle Market in Obehie Asa in Ukwa West LGA.
According to the protesters, their land was allegedly ceded to the herdsmen by the Abia State government to use for their cattle settlement.
During the peaceful protest organised by Asa Development Union (ADU), men of the Nigerian Police force was present to ensure no breakdown of law.
WATCH VIDEO: Indigenous People Of Ukwa West Protests Against Proposed “Cattle Market”
Below is a statement signed by Dr. Onwubiko N. Dike, President-Genera, of Asa Development Union and the union secretary, Dr. IK Ajuzieogu.
Being conscious of the fact of history and the dynamics of socio-cultural environment of Ukwa land, Asa Development Union hereby wishes to bring to the public space of an overwhelmingly general discontent of Ukwa people over the recent action of Abia State government to establish cattle market at Obehie Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area.
We hasten to state that Ukwa people are continually being subjected to a cocktail of inhuman treatment of marginalization, suppression, intimidation, deprivation and despoliation by successive government in the state.
Pointedly, the Union wishes to vehemently state as follows;
1. That Cattle Market does not fit into the natural economic ambiance of the geography and socio-cultural life of Asa people.
2. That the grave implication of the public health challenge of zoonosis of Trypanosomiasis (a deadly protozoan sleeping sickness) outbreak as a result of cattle market will be a life threatening danger to Ukwa people and should not be contemplated.
3. That the nuisance value of Fulani herdsmen and their activities of maiming, raping, kidnapping, banditry and destruction of farm crops cannot be accommodated in our environment. Hence, the hue and cry of Ukwa people. Of course, it is in the public domain that the raging countywide insecurity orchestrated by Fulani herdsmen has become a palpably recurrent decimal threatening national security.
4. That already, the Fulani herdsmen are all over Ukwa west LGA, especially Owaza and Obiakpu communities perpetrating heinous crimes including kidnapping od our people and demanding ransom. Incidents of this ugly scenario have been well recorded in the diary of the divisional Police Headquarters, Obehie Asa.
5. 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 Eyinmba Economic City Development (EECD) that has culminated in the death of Mr. Nwamaka Ogbuji of Ugwati, Asa on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. Consequently, the vexatious issue of cattle market at
Obehie is being perceived as an aggravated assault on Ukwa people by the present Abia State Government.
6. That Ukwa West Local Government Area has about the smallest landmass in Abia State. As the only oil – producing area of Abia State, a substantial landmass of Ukwa West LGA is interspersed with oil and gas pipelines such that a small patch of land is left put for agricultural activities from which majority of Ukwa people eke out a living. Contingent upon this situation, is the fact that huge land areas of Ukwa has been previously acquired for ill-fated development projects namely;
i. Ogwe Golden Chicken Project.
ii. Obuaku City Development.
iii. Umudobia International Market.
iv. Omumuzor Abattoir Project.
In essence, establishing a cattle market at Obehie would be a most gruesome scenario with its attendant hardship on the life of Ukwa people and should not be contemplated.
7. That 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 bizzare order. What a
shame!
8. That Ukwa people totally rejected this cold and callous political impunity of cattle market verging on a terribly mischievous and wickedly marooned power mongering.
9. That the rage of Asa Development Union is against the dying conscience of whosoever is playing politics of cattle market to enslave and suffer the souls of innocent Ukwa people under absolutely facade development.
10. That Abia State government should look elsewhere for cattle market as Ukwa land cannot accommodate the asphyxiating and anathematizing living conditions associated with such project.
Indeed, Asa Development Union is abundantly and unequivocally saying; enough of this political shenanigan of cattle market. No way for Cattle Market in Ukwa Land.
Sign
Dr. Onwubiko N. Dike
President-Genera, ADU
Dr. IK Ajuzieogu
Secretary-General, ADU
