Ikpeazu Says NO To Cattle Colony In Abia

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has said his government would not cede any part of the state for the establishment of ‘cattle colonies’ for the grazing of cattle by Fulani herdsmen.

In a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Enyinnaya Appolos, the governor restated his resolve not to cede any portion of land in the 17 local government areas of the state to herdsman as cattle colony.

Governor Ikpeazu said the available land in the state would not be enough to accommodate the agricultural plans of the state government, adding that the available land in Abia was not even enough for the agrarian communities in the state to effectively carry out their farming activities.

Ikpeazu maintained that leasing out the land may cause unrest in the state beyond what his government could handle.

The release reads in part, “We reject any plan to establish cattle colonies for herdsmen in Abia State.

“We don’t have enough land for our agricultural activities and our people want more land. Giving away any part of Abia land as a colony to herdsmen, wherever they may be from, will be most unjust and unfair treatment to Abia State and her people who are largely farmers.

“Such alien land occupation will also cause unrest and crisis that may grow beyond what we can handle when it happens, so the best thing I think we should do is to reject such plans so that those behind it will know that Abia State is not party to it.”