HURIWA tasks security agencies to end killing of cows in South-East
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has tasked the governors of South East states, as well as security agencies, to end the killing of cows by gunmen in Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia and Ebonyi states.
It has also condemned the spate of killings by groups, including the security agencies and unknown gunmen, and appealed for peaceful and constructive dialogue.
HURIWA, in a statement issued, yesterday, in Abuja by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stressed that not only Fulani pastoralists are involved in cattle business in the South East, adding that a lot of Igbo businessmen are also engaged in the trade.
The group said the consequences of continuous killing of cattle by gunmen, who are angry against the Fulani ethnic stock for whatever reason, would affect Igbo traders and sons of the soil who are also actively involved in cattle business in the South East.
HURIWA said: “Security agents must stop the condemnable trend of mass killing of cattle in the South East. Nobody’s business deserves to be attacked no matter the crimes they have committed; the law should be allowed to take its cause.
“Also, the fact that the cattle are not owned by Fulani or Hausa alone but by Igbo traders, too, is enough reason for aggrieved persons to stop unleashing terror on cattle businesses in the South East.
“It is noteworthy that the cattle business is a provider of jobs for teaming youths in the South East as it is a business for all. According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, the state consumes over 6,000 heads of cattle daily and over 1.8 million heads of cattle yearly with transactional value of over N328bn. This is a lot of money.
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“Without any assumption, the total volume of cattle consumed in the whole of South East and the money that accrued from it should be equivalent to that of Lagos or above it. It is, therefore, important that the cattle value chain and business be protected against gunmen attacks, as the continuous killing of cows in the South East will lead to economic hardship.
“The South East governors must act immediately and dialogue with all stakeholders and aggrieved persons to end the whole mess.”