August 24, (THEWILL) – The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the apex Igbo youth organisation, has demanded that South-East Legislatures urgently pass the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law so as to save lives and property, failing which lawmakers would be recalled.
The council gave the warning through its National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, in an interactive session with newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday.
Igboayaka noted that there were allegations that House of Assembly members from the South-East had compromised and would jettison the call for the abolishment of open grazing in the South-East.
The OYC President decried that over 500 people have been slaughtered by suspected herdsmen in the zone since 2016, stressing that no amount of money was worth the lives of Ndigbo.
The group warned House members reportedly plotting against the ban on total open grazing to drop the idea or face the wrath of Igbo youth from their various constituencies.
The President said: “The House of Assembly members in the South-East should watch their actions and inactions and as well know that they are commonly living with the people in various communities in Igboland without any form of immunity or sophisticated security detail like the governors, therefore any attempt to take bribes and jettison the Anti-Open Grazing Bill will be a foolhardy step that endangers not only their lives but that of their family members as well as neighbours in the South-East.
“South-East has become the land of blood spillage by incessant attacks of herdsmen. Enugu and Ebonyi states have been the worst victims of Fulani attacks. And our farm lands have been deserted and famine will soon hit the South-East, therefore, those behind all attempts to jeopardise the interest of the people should have a rethink.
“Ohanaeze Youth Council calls on community youth of Igbo extraction to rise up now and resist any attempt to scuttle the Anti-Open Grazing Bill by current House of Assembly members.
“Ohanaeze Youth Council gives South-East House of Assembly members 30 days to pass the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law with immediate effect.
“Consequently, after the 30 days, there will be an All-Igbo Youth Match to the family houses of the House of Assembly members to demonstrate civil disobedience from the people.
“Moreso, South-East House of Assembly Members should emulate their counterparts in the Rivers State House of Assembly that have acted on the request of the masses in the state by passing the Anti-Open Grazing Bill.”
Comrade Igboayaka called on the South-East governors, led by Gov. David Umahi, to take responsibility and monitor the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Bill in the zone.
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