Following the brutal killing of over 10 persons by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Uwheru Kingdom of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, leaders of the kingdom have placed a ban on the sale and consumption of cow meat in the area.
Barely a fortnight ago, it was recalled that suspected marauding herdsmen invaded the communities, raping, maiming and mowing down souls as well as burying them in shallow graves.
Angry folks from the communities headed for the woods days after with a potpourri of security agents to eventually recover corpses of at least nine slain persons who were buried in shallow graves to drown the insinuation from some quarters that no life was lost during the onslaught.
In spite of the recovery of corpses, the Delta State Police Command was still of the opinion that until the autopsy results were put, confirmation of the cause of actual death would still be in doubt.
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Being worried that danger could still be lurking, following a report that the killer-herdsmen, none of whom has been arrested so far, are still stationed in their enclaves deep in the woods, leaders and elders of the kingdom had decided to embark on the economic method of protest.
The ban on sale and consumption of beef from the herders’ cows arrived at last Saturday, Tribune Online gathered.
The emergency communal meeting was attended by prominent sons and daughters of Uwheru Kingdom, reportedly including the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, an indigene of the area.
It was further gathered that the decision took immediate effect and that every indigene of the kingdom must abide by it as a mark of honour and solidarity for the dead until the appropriate authorities do the right thing.
A source at the meeting was quoted as saying: “By this ban, no one can bring cow meat to any of the communities that make up the Uwheru Kingdom for any function, be it burial or any other celebration.
“You don’t expect us to be eating cow meat when our people are being killed and can’t go to the farm.”
Commenting on the ban, a Delta-based lawyer and peacebuilder, Chief Robinson Ariyo wondered why such decision could readily come as the best and most appropriate.
“If herdsmen constitute a security risk, should the solution be to ban the sale and consumption of beef?
“How does a whole State Government with over 1,500 Assistants not be able to brainstorm on a more rational approach?
“Do you have such a successful model of ban anywhere? I will keep my mouth shut,” the Itsekiri chief conjectured on his Facebook handle.
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