Fulani herdsmen operating in the South East zone have said that they have no grudges against any state in the zone, let alone plotting any form of attack on the area.

They said that their main reason for being in the South East zone is to seek greener pasture where they can feed their cattle, and not to cause terrorism in the area.

Addressing members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), South East zone during a meeting held in Enugu, the Chairman of the association in the zone, Gidado Sadiqu, said that the members were conscious of the negative information being spread in the country’s seemingly volatile political space to the extent that “Fulani herdsmen are planning to attack Anambra and Enugu states,” urging the public to disregard it as it is just rumour.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the association from the various five southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.

“The Fulani herdsmen have no grudges with the aforementioned states. We are in the southeast to look for greener pastures to feed our cattle. We are not here to terrorise anyone but we’re scared of people coming under the guise of the Fulani herdsmen to unleash terror on our hosts,” Sadiq said.

He advised the members of the association to always be watchful and quickly report strange faces around them to the concerned authorities, urging the public to remain vigilant and “not to allow anyone to destroy the peaceful co-existence we are enjoying.”

“We warn our members to stop crossing the border of a state and destroy and run back to another state,” said Sadiq, who alleged that “people usually come from Ebonyi State to destroy farms in Enugu and run back to Ebonyi” while others come from Enugu and go to destroy farms in Ebonyi and run back to Enugu.

He said the MACBAN leadership has initiated measures to lessen the menace of herdsmen/farmers’ clashes across the borders of the South East zone. (Daily Trust)

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