By Uche Mbah
Indications are that some Southern governors and leaders are already implementing the Rural Grazing Area, RUGA, program because of personal interest, with some investing in the Cattle business and inviting Fulani herdsmen to man them. These in turn are being infiltrated by the “Godogodo”, the AK47 wielding herdsmen who are on Fulanisation mission.
This magazine was told that the Fulanis that has been cohabiting with natives are different from the ones that the Federal Government wants to occupy the Ruga settlements.
“Cattle business has suddenly become one of the most sought after business in the south. Prominent southerners, including but not limited to governors, invest in the cattle business, hitherto the exclusive preserves of Retired generals and northern politicians. They are seeing a future in the investments based on current government push for Ruga. That is why southern governors are paying lip service to the Ruga war”, this magazine was told over the weekend.
There has been allegations that Ruga is a vehicle for Fulanization agenda of the government, otherwise it is difficult to explain government obsession with what is regarded as private business.
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, had recently lamented that his efforts to get the South west governors to key in to the fight against kidnapping and Fulanization has met with brick wall of silence, a position he attributed to their being diplomatic over the issue.
This seems to have been confirmed by the activities of the herdsmen in Nenwe, in Aninri local government area of Enugu state.
Aninri is the constituency of the immediate past Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The town has taken to the social media to lament the inversion of their land by Fulani herdsmen, who now dictate when they should harvest their crops, also threatening them with death.
“Once, an indigene was driving back home in his car when the herdsmen opened fire on his car, mortally wounding him. It turned out that the herdsmen were merely testing their marksmanship”, this magazine was told.
The Man is said to be currently recovering in a hospital.
With the activities of the herdsmen going viral, the governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, immediately went to Nenwe community, where he allegedly pleaded with them to allow the herdsmen to live in peace with them, allegedly giving the community sum of N2 million to cushion the effect of damages.
This was the first time Ugwuanyi will be visiting Nenwe in his four years as governor.
Recall that, despite uproars, the Federal government had insisted on going ahead with the Ruga program as their only solution to the herdsmen menace. Government has already got it gazetted, and has started trial in some states. They, however, has not officially mentioned the states that is being used as pilot scheme, though there has been speculation in the media.
South east, South south and south west governors have officially rejected Ruga.
