Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had a bitter taste of cattle herdsmen menace yesterday when his convoy ran into a herd of cows and was delayed for over 10 minutes on the popular Orlu Road in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

An eyewitness said that the governor who was driving in a Toyota Coaster bus in which he was conveying some visitors to some project sites, ran into the animal as they were shepherded through the centre of Orlu Road by the herders.

The herdsmen appeared totally oblivious of the governor’s discomfort as they lackadaisically moved their cattle on their way to their unknown destination. However, as soon as the governor’s escorts who were driving closely behind noticed what was going on, they quickly ran to the front to clear the road. It took about 10 minutes of cattle calling before the animals could be driven off the road.

As the security operatives battled to clear the road, residents and traders came out to watch the unfolding drama, with many of them complaining that “these cattle rearers are taking too much now.” “Do they graze cattle in city centers now?” one street trader was heard asking rhetorically, adding that “something just has to be done to contain this menace.”

The incident came against the backdrop of the recent herdsmen attack on the communities of Ukpabi and Nimbo in Uzouwani Local Council of Enugu, in which over 40 people were reportedly killed. The Enugu mayhem heightened tension in the state and other parts of Igbo land where the herds- men have become a source of concern to governments and people. Okorocha, however, calmed the situation when he refused to condemn the embarrassing development outright but simply noted that it would be better if the herders kept their animals out of city centres.

•Text courtesy of The AUTHORITY on Sunday. Photo shows Governor Okorocha's convoy being blocked by cows and herdsmen . . . yesterday in Owerri.

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