The Indigenous People of Biafra has described the communal crisis in Effium and Ezza communities in Ebonyi State as state-sponsored and a move by the state’s governor, Dave Umahi, to hand over large expanses of land to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
The pro-Biafra group, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, vowed that IPOB will never succumb to any pressure to allow nomadic cattle herders take over any part of the state or region.
The statement reads in part, “The global family of IPOB condemn the politically-motivated communal crisis in Ebonyi State as a deceptive move to hand over large parcels of land to Miyetti Allah by the outgoing Governor of Ebonyi State.
“Umahi should know that his tenure is almost over, and we appreciate his achievements in terms of infrastructural development, but we also remember his treatment of Ebonyi indigenes. That does not give him the impetus to set Ebonyi State on fire before he vacates office. IPOB stands as a watchdog in our territory and we will never succumb to any pressure to allow outsiders take over any part of our ancestral lands.
“One of the reasons this crisis was reignited again between Effium and Ezza people in Ebonyi State is the huge land mass in that area—Ohaukwu LGA.”
The group claimed that as the communal crisis was ongoing, Umahi was also allegedly mapping out land for a Fulani settlement.
“One thing is certain, Myetti Allah, which is the patron group for herdsmen, cannot be allowed to have any settlement anywhere in this area. It is better that Umahi knows this and allows peace to reign in Ebonyi State.
“We will not allow him to create problems that will consume many people because of his political interests.
“The Igbo in APC are yet to realise that they have been left behind in the political equation of the party.
“Umahi cannot use the communal crisis he created as a conduit to carve out community lands.
“We are advising him to abandon any agreement he had with Miyetti Allah for his own safety and that of the state.”
