The group called IPOB has promised to not let any governor in the South-East give any land in the area to outside forces for ranching or farming.
The pro-Biafran group made this promise in a press release from its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Thursday. They are firm that there is no land in the south-east for ranching.
The group was reacting to the request by President Bola Tinubu for state governors to provide land for ranching in their state.
They stated that such a request would lead to unnecessary hunger and economic disaster, and would also worsen food scarcity and insecurity in the country.
The statement said, “The attention of the global family of IPOB has been drawn to a call from President Tinubu to the state governors to provide land in each state for ranching. IPOB sees this call as harmful to the people who have been killed by the same foreign marauding terrorists called herdsmen.
“Nigerian media reported the president’s call during a political event in Niger State, where he was said to have asked the state governors to provide land for RUGA and ranches. agricultural programme in Niger State, where he was said to have asked the state governors to provide land for RUGA and ranches.
“Perhaps the president has forgotten that political campaigns where promises are made to win elections are over. The recent public call for the state governors to provide land for agriculture is not in good fate because it will embolden terrorist herdsmen.
“Nevertheless, we in the IPOB movement and family will never allow ceding or selling any part of our ancestorial land to these dangerous terrorists and bandits for whatever reason. The Biafra region has no land for whatever purpose. Biafrans are farmers and pastoralists, too.
“Our lands are not sufficient for Biafrans to farm and rear livestock, let alone ceding some to the dangerous terrorists. President Tinubu can cede lands in the South-West and the North, but definitely not in the South-East and South-South.
The statement further urged South-East governors to ignore the order, adding that IPOB will resist attempts by any governor to sell any land.
The statement said, “IPOB calls all the governors in Biafra land not to surrender Biafra land by obeying the political call to give lands for RUGA and ranching. IPOB and Ndigbo, in general, will resist any governor who gives or sells any land to Fulanis for whatever purpose.
“The former administration of Muhammadu Buhari, adopted all tricks in the book to establish Ruga settlements in all the states, but Nigerians resisted them. It is unfortunate that Tinubu’s government, which has subjected Nigerians to an avoidable hunger and economic disaster, is pushing an agenda that will further increase food scarcity and insecurity in the contraption called Nigeria.”
IPOB insisted that Biafra territory is a no-go area while also calling on the people of the South-West and Middle Belt to rise up and reject such an agenda, adding that any region that allows RUGA or ranching is doomed.
