The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposed establishment of cattle ranches in Abuja, describing the plan as a thinly veiled attempt to implement the controversial RUGA policy under a new name.
In a press statement released by the group, IPOB said the move represents a continuation of what it calls Fulani “imperial expansionism,” and warned that it could lead to ethnic subjugation similar to what befell the Hausa people in the 19th century.
“This latest ploy is nothing but RUGA repackaged, a sinister land-grabbing strategy cloaked in government policy, designed to reward killers and entrench Fulani imperial expansionism in the heart of Nigeria,” the statement read.
IPOB expressed grave concern that the planned ranches will displace the Gbagi people, the indigenous occupants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and accused the Federal Government of setting the stage for cultural genocide.
“Abuja is about to witness the same fate [as the Hausas] if this madness is not stopped. The land around Abuja belongs to the Gbagi people. They have no other homeland. To dispossess them by executive fiat is an unforgivable act of aggression,” the group declared.
The statement also criticised the rationale of prioritising cattle colonies near the seat of national power, calling it “an absurdity unique to Nigeria.” It challenged the Tinubu administration to cite any global capital city that accommodates cattle ranches within or around its metropolitan area.
“Is President Tinubu unaware that no sensible country in the world keeps cattle around its capital city?”
IPOB asked rhetorically, listing cities like Nairobi, New Delhi, São Paulo, and Seoul as examples.
Further, IPOB alleged that the proposal effectively legitimises violence and incentivises ethnic cleansing by appearing to reward communities historically linked to herder-farmer clashes.
“This ranching plan is a green light for more bloodshed. The message to Fulani herders is clear: kill enough indigenous people and the government will reward you with their land,” IPOB warned, branding the policy “state-sanctioned terrorism.”
The pro-Biafra group reiterated its opposition to any attempt to implement similar policies in the South-East or other parts of what it considers “Biafraland.”
“No inch of our territory will be given for herder settlements, cattle corridors, or so-called ranching. Our forests, our villages, our farmlands are sacred to us,” the statement added.
Citing its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB emphasised that “no modern society moves cattle on foot,” and urged the Federal Government to explore alternatives such as transporting livestock by rail to remote areas like the Sambisa Forest.
In conclusion, IPOB declared solidarity with the Gbagi people and other indigenous groups facing similar threats, calling on the government to prioritise human lives and cultural preservation over what it described as “a federal contract of death.”
“Let the killings in the name of cows stop. Let the bloodletting cease. Let Nigeria choose reason over ruin,” the statement concluded.
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