THE Southeast Governors Forum has rejected the demand by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breaders Association (MACBAN) for the establishment of a vigilance group in the Southeast to protect their members.
MACBAN made the proposal during the Southeast Security Summit in Enugu on Thursday last week.
The summit was convened by the governors in the five Southeast states to profer solution to the lingering clashes between herders and farmer in the region.
The clashes have led to killings and destruction of farmlands.
The MACBAN’s request has triggered reactions from pro-Igbo groups, including the proscribed IPOB.
The governors have been at the receiving end, with many alleging that the governors were in agreement with MACBAN on the issue.
But the governors on Monday denied ever being ready to allow such suggestions come to fruition.
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Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, who doubles as the Southeast Governors’ Forum Chairman, spoke for his colleagues in a statement in Abakaliki.
In the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, the governor described the allegation that the governors were favourably disposed to MACBAN’s proposal to form vigilance group as strange.
It reads: “I find it extremely strange for anybody to think that none locals in any part of the country including Southeast, could be allowed to form vigilante outfit.”
“The Miyetti Allah group may have made that suggestion which I believe will never mean to form a vigilance group in the Southeast, whichever is the meaning, no governor will allow that.
“Southeast Governors have their local vigilantes working with security agencies. Any such demand by Miyetti group is a joke and not acceptable. Governors of Southeast are doing their best and we have no problems receiving insults from our people. It is the price for leadership.
“The important thing to us is the safety and well-being of our people. Other pressure groups may not have found it fashionable to be insulting their leaders even when their leaders may not be saints”, the governor said.
Governor Umahi further disclosed that he has a task to develop Ebonyi State, contribute in rebuilding Southast and Nigeria.
He said: “My calling is not to insult others to do these. Have we been fairly treated? No. Can we solve the problem by hate speeches? For me, no. Nobody, no matter the level of pretense can change my style of peaceful leadership. Ebonyi in particular has suffered so much even in the context of South East. We believe that we do not need hate speeches as a strategy to solve our problems.
“Finally, no Miyetti vigilance group in the Southeast, no cattle ranch or colony but we must live peacefully with herdsmen that do not destroy our farm land especially those that were born here and have lived peacefully with us. All Southeast governors are together in this position.”
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