Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI 
Ebonyi State government and the Myeitti Allah Cattle Breeders Association yesterday agreed to end incessant attacks, rape and killings in various communities in the state.
The government and the association specifically agreed that there would be no further underage herders grazing cattle in communities, urging the communities to arrest underage cattle herders found in the communities.
This was part of a ninepoint communiqué raised at the end of the government’s meeting with the cattle herders in the state held in Abakaliki. Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe read the communique at the end of the meeting which was presided over by Governor Dave Umahi.
Igwe said: “We looked at very serious issues that bother on security in the state and those issues after looking at them we arrived at very far reaching decisions.
Among the issues we looked at is the killing of members of Myeitti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Ebonyi State, the rape cases that was reported by community leaders, in some cases the Development Centre Coordinators and some council Chairmen in Ebonyi State, the destruction of our farmlands and the attacks of some communities by some persons suspected to be Myeitti Allah.
We arrived at the this communique that henceforth, members of Myeitti Allah and their leaders must take responsibilities of any destruction of farm, crops ,properties including any attack on any community in Ebonyi State. Rape cases are not exempted from this.
They must produce within seven days for arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of such dastardly act from among their members.
“Community leaders and traditional rulers, Development Centre Coordinators, Local Government Council Chairmen and our political offices holders must take responsibilities and produce killer armed herdsmen for arrest and prosecution within seven days.
“Henceforth, herders must reside in the communities where they graze their cattle. “T
he various communities are by this meeting empower to arrest and hand over to the police any underage cattle rearer grazing within their communities and the Chief herder who is a custodian of such under aged person should be prosecuted by the police in accordance with the police by our law.
“All persons carrying arms on our concrete roads must be arrested and handed over to the police within seven days for prosecution by the community where such infractions occur.”
