The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has threatened that its earlier directive to stop consumption of cows from the northern part of the country in the South-East region by April 2022 remains sacrosanct.
In a statement by Emmanuel Powerful, its spokesperson, on Monday, IPOB dismissed rumours that the group had rescinded its earlier decision.
According to the group, led by the pro-Biafra agitator, Nnamdi Kanu, the directive was taken as “the last resort after many years of patience over the unprovoked genocidal attacks by Fulani herdsmen on our communities, and the failure of the double-faced Nigeria security agencies to rein in the rampaging Fulani mass murderers.”
IPOB said it would not back down in implementing the order, arguing that Fulani cows have been at the centre of the killings recorded in the southeast region.
The statement reads, “We wish to reiterate that our earlier decision to ban the movement and consumption of Fulani cows in Biafra land, from April 2022, is sacrosanct.
“We have waited for enough and can no longer tolerate the docility and criminal silence of the federal government in protecting our communities against these agents of death.
“The world should note that before arriving at this irreversible decision, we have made several appeals to the federal government and the security agencies to stop the Fulani from their atrocities in our land but they looked the other way, leaving our hapless communities at the mercy of these messengers of death. Our patience has been overstretched beyond its elasticity point. We can no longer afford to fold our arms and be waiting for the last man in Biafra land to be killed by Fulani jihadists masquerading as herdsmen.
“Our people waste huge sums of money up to N3billion every year on cows’ meat and we won’t allow that to continue and we encourage those who have the money to start breeding our local cows (Efi Igbo) and other farming, IPOB will support them to boost the farming and animal husbandry business.
“So, our decision to ban the movement, sale and consumption of Fulani cows throughout Biafra land with effect from April of this year is not borne out of hate but we are safeguarding our land and our people.
“If you are a Biafran dealing on Fulani cows in Biafraland, it’s better you look for an alternative now because we won’t spare any inch regarding cows after April this year, don’t say we don’t warn you. A word is enough for the wise.”