SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS BAN FULANI HERDSMEN

South East Governors rose up today in a Security and Enugu Airport Closure review meeting, banning free movement of herdsmen from one community to the other grazing.

The expanded meeting of the South-East Governors Forum at the Government House, Enugu, had Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, David Umahi of Ebonyi State/Chairman of the Forum, Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, in attendance. 

The meeting which has issues of security and closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, high on the agenda, also has the following in attendance: The Minister of Aviation, Hon. Hadi Sirika; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, represented by the GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Abubakar Maikobi; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, represented by the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Enugu, Air Vice Marshal Idi Amin and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, represented by AIG, Zone 9, Umuahia, Baba Tijani.

Others include, CPs and SDs of DSS of five states of the South East; the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Prof. Barth Nnaji, leadership of Vigilante/Neighbourhood Watch groups in the zone, representatives of FERMA, Nzuko Umunna, and the Director of Highways, South East zone, Henry Udeh, among others. 

The forum released a 16-point communique after the meeting delivered by Chairman of the Governors Forum, Chief Dave Umahi, the stakeholders said they deliberated on two major topics on matters of insecurity and the matters arising from the closure of the Enugu airport.

Umahi said their discussion agreed that their earlier joint air operation to flush out bandits from all forest in South-East would continue. He said “We also agreed that we have to put measures in place to restrain movement of herdsmen and their cattle from one state to another which is a source and point of conflict with the natives and farmers. And also restrain the movement of cattle and herdsmen from the community to communities across farmlands.”

While commending Enugu state governor for the establishment of Forest Guards as earlier agreed by South-East Governors, the meeting encouraged the remaining South-East governors to launch theirs. “South-East governors have banned herdsmen who move about with AK 47 guns and cutlasses and we want our security agencies to implement same. South-East governors never invited the army nor were the South East Governors informed of any of their operations on Python Dance until the operations were already started in the states, Umahi said. He also disclosed that they would write to President Mohammadu Buhari to request for a meeting with him and all the security Chiefs on issues of security to douse tension in the region. He also acknowledged the safety reasons given by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika for the closure of Enugu Airport, saying it was a matter of need to save the lives of people. He said the airport deterioration went on for a long that the government had to close it to save the lives of people.

“The Honourable Minister of Aviation has assured us that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport will be reconstructed to meet the Abuja International Airport standard, the runway shall be reconstructed and extended, and the landing equipment shall be replaced with a better night landing light installation and he has assured that the work will go on day and night and it must be completed before December 2019. “Other works like the cargo section, extension of the tarmac, buildings that were damaged by rainstorm etc are also in the package. He has assured us also that two sets of contractors are pinned down for any of them to be used like Julius Berger as we requested and P&W but in the weeks ahead we will be asking him that we have a choice of Julius Berger.

“Palliative measures is been arranged and the South-East governors will have a committee with Minister of Aviation and Minister of Works to discuss on the palliative measures. We are very committed as South-East governors for the safety of pour people, for the convenience of our people to ease all inconveniences and these we are going to do. Some states have already started and some states will also follow. And in the next one week we will totally roll out our palliative measures and we assure our people of their safety.

“On Sam Mbakwe Airport, the Honourable Minister said they had already met and a number of facelift will be given like the barbed wire, the tarmac, the buildings; they are all going to be given facelift, where most of these planes will be diverted to and we are very happy with that. “South East governors have already set up security committee, we shall inaugurate them today, one per state and they will play a major role with our security chiefs and also play role in this airport closure and diversion of flights.”

 Speaking on the airport, the Minister for Aviation, Hadi Sirika the federal government takes the Enugu seriously as it does to Kaduna for the north and Ibadan for the south west. “This airport is one of the five International Airports that we have, I want to assure you that we will take all the seriousness that it deserves, and we should be able to deliver this project all things being equal before Christmas. “We are conscious and aware of the hardships that you might go through but I believe it is worth it in the interest of safety and the committee that has been formed will discuss the palliative and we will also discuss the arrangement and planning,” Sirika said.