The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday, said it is not going back on its earlier decision to ban the movement and consumption of Fulani cows in all parts of Southeastern Nigeria and other Igbo communities, from April 2022.
A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary for IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful made available to TNC on Monday, stated the decision.
Clashes between Fulani herders and farmers have been a major issue in the Southeastern region of the country, with many killed and communities destroyed.
According to Comrade Powerful, the decision taken by IPOB under the command and leadership of its founder, Mazi Nnamdi KANU, is sacrosanct.
He however noted that following the earlier declaration, many quarters have been spreading misinformation and misconceptions surrounding the position on the issue, which IPOB enemies are peddling to blackmail the group.
According to him, the decision was taken as a last resort when many other options failed.
“In the first place, the decision was taken as a last resort after many years of patience over the unprovoked genocidal attacks by Fulani herdsmen on our communities, and the failure of the double-faced Nigeria security agencies to rein in the rampaging Fulani mass murderers.
“We have waited for enough and can no longer tolerate the docility and criminal silence of the federal government in protecting our communities against these agents of death.
“Since their cows have been the reason the Fulani jihadists are slaughtering our people, destroying our farms, raping our women and kidnapping our men for ransom, we have decided to stop consuming these Fulani cows which have now become a source of sorrow and death.
“It is better we are alive and eat no Fulani cows than desire to eat them and be killed,” he said.
The IPOB spokesperson explained that before they arrived at the decision which he described as irreversible, they had made several appeals to the federal government and the security agencies to stop the Fulani from their ‘atrocities’ in Igboland but they looked the other way, leaving the hapless communities at the mercy of their attackers.
“Our patience has been overstretched beyond its elasticity point,” he said.
He revealed that Igbo people spend huge sums of money, amounting to up to three billion naira annually on cow meat.
He encouraged those who have the resources to start breeding local cows and other farming, saying the IPOB will support them to boost their farming and animal husbandry business.
He said; “So, our decision to ban the movement, sale and consumption of Fulani cows throughout Biafra land with effect from April of this year, is not borne out of hate but we are safeguarding our land and our people from the agenda of the Fulanis.
“Our decision is borne out of the natural desire to preserve our race from being wiped out by the Fulani herdsmen.”
“If you are a Biafran dealing on Fulani cows in Biafraland, it is better you look for an alternative now because we won’t spare any inch regarding Fulani terrorists herdsmen cows after April this year.
“Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
“A word is enough for the wise,” the IPOB threatened.
