At a town hall meeting in Umuahia, the capital of Abia state on Monday, the federal government apologised to residents of the South-East region for the spate of attacks carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
A number of attacks on various farming communities in Enugu and other states in the South-East led to the loss of lives just as many of the perpetrators were never brought to book.
An attempt to organise a reprisal attack on a Fulani herdsmen community in Enugu led to the arrest of many youths who were briefly taken before a magistrate court before they were released.
Minister for agriculture, Mr Audu Ogbeh who gave the apology on behalf of the government on Monday, stated that he had also been a victim of the attacks as his farm was similarly invaded by suspected herdsmen.
Ogbeh stated that the federal government was working on modalities to put a definite end the menace of the herdsmen who he noted had no right to bear arms or to harass farmers.
Vanguard quotes the minister as having said, “The army or police cannot follow the herdsmen around, but the Government is doing everything to find a lasting solution. In a few months you will see the result.”
Ogbeh also expressed disappointment that successive Abia State Governments abandoned the 17, 000 hectares of palm established by the late Dr Michael Okpara, former Premiere of Eastern Nigeria.
Other ministers who spoke at the meeting anchored by Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, include Labour and Productivity Minister, Dr Chris Ngige; Investment Minister, Okechukwu Enelama, and Minister of State, Solid Minerals, Alhaji Abubakar Buhari Bawa.
Ngige in his contribution said that the Buhari administration had not abandoned the zone that the government was working on a number of dilapidated federal roads in the region. He similarly urged the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to work on the federal roads in his State and tender the bills for a refund.
