The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described the potential use of force to establish Ruga Settlement for Fulani in all the 36 states of Nigeria as a clear indication that the government is behind every attack on people by Fulani herdsmen since year 2001.

The group said that the Federal Government on realising that their orchestrated attacks on innocent people wasn’t giving them much desired result decided to impose Ruga on the people.

IPOB insisted that no Ruga settlement would be allowed on any of Biafran soil, saying that Ruga Settlement for Fulani and National Livestock Transformation Program (NLTP) are the same.

A statement by the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, said in part: “Ruga settlement will not be allowed in Biafra land. No matter the high level they take it to because it is all about taking over our ancestral land by force.

“We cannot rule out that Igbos are much involved in the cattle business but don't have Herdsmen who live and wander inside the bushes and forests across the country because our people are different set of race on this planet and does not behave like Fulani people who are nomadic and marauders.”

IPOB wondered why the Federal Government and Fulani people “are desperate in looking for Ruga Settlement in the East”, saying that the people of the South-East cannot accommodate them in the little space they occupy.

Continuing, the statement said: “Fulani contribute nothing but violence and criminality in the society and Nigeria economy. You can imagine how they were killed people in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, southern Kaduna, Enugu, Ebonyi and Delta states.

“IPOB will support ranching business but in your own private land not forcing people to release their ancestral land to anybody or Fulani people. IPOB is a peaceful movement and must remain so but cannot allow anybody to trample on us by forcing our people to release their ancestral land to them.

“We are aware that cattle business remains personal business in Nigeria and cannot change today. We advise federal government of Nigeria and those behind this evil plan to retrace their steps before it spills over, claims more innocent lives and becomes uncontrollable.

“The community ancestral lands are gifts from the Most High God handed over to them to dwell on which must not be taken over under any guise by the government or Fulani. We challenge Fulani Islamists terrorists including their Arewa youths to do their worst after the expiration of the so-called 30 days ultimatum as was widely reported in every national and international media, we are anxiously and eagerly waiting for them in whatever shape they may want it.

“We must do the needful to defend ourselves and our properties by stopping this aggression, violent incursion and land-grabbing no matter what it takes to do so.”

IPOB likened what it described as consistent pressure in disguise from Federal government of Nigeria and her security forces for our people to release their ancestral lands for Ruga Settlement in Biafraland as exactly the same way Satan asked Christ to bow before him in order to possess the riches of the earth.

It added: “We have rejected Nigeria forever and whatever that looks good and bad in her. Fulani people should keep their Ruga Settlement till eternity in the north, we don’t care about the gains and losses. Our total desire is to restore Biafra sovereignty and independence, nothing more.

“Southern Nigeria, Middle Belt particularly Biafrans must understand that Ruga Settlement is totally to fix Fulani with the indigenous people that will cause them harm in the near future. How can Fulani kill pregnant women, children, displace people out of their homes and their God given ancestral land and still government have the temerity to force them to release land for them.

“Nigeria government and her security agencies have refused to arrest these killers and they are ready to kill anybody who raised eyebrow against the Fulani terrorist Herdsmen and their mode of operation against the indigenous population that make up the British company called Nigeria.”

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