The Ebonyi state government Tuesday debunked the rumours in some quarters that it has established RUGA settlement in the state.
It was alleged that herders on Saturday night invaded Hausa community in Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi state.
The herders, according to reports, were made up of men, women, children and youth, which put fear in the residents of the community.
But the state government, while speaking through the Commissioner of Information and State Orientation, Barrister Uchenna Orji, emphatically said the state government never approved RUGA settlement.
Explaining that herders who hitherto settled at the Centenary City, relocated at their own will on seeing that the state government was developing the area for its use.
He said, “the attention of Ebonyi state government has been drawn to online circulation by a group of frustrated elements whose objective is to paint the government black by selling a dummy to unsuspecting members of the public.
“Their posts on the 12/10/2019 gave false impression that herders in their numbers arrived with their families to a particular village in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi state to settle, and that Ebonyi state government has established a RUGA settlement for herdsmen. Our reaction has become necessary in view of the sensitivity of the matter to the collective peace and coexistence of our people.
“The state government states in clear terms that the narratives of these online propagandists are nothing but the figment of the imagination of the mischief makers. Their online circulations are totally unfounded, absolutely irresponsible, without foundation and criminally woven to paint Ebonyi state government black before its citizenry.
Contrary to the spiritless fabrication of these political jobbers, what happened on 12/10/2019 was the normal movement of cattle rearers, who were on transit from their temporary camp at the Centenary City Abakaliki to a neighbouring state, where they have found more conducive for their cattle’s livelihood.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no specific area in any part of Ebonyi state where the state government designated to herdsmen for cattle grazing. We have neither built a settlement where herders will live nor a settlement where they will grow their cattle or produce milk. We have no RUGA settlement in Ebonyi state at all, and we don’t intend to have any RUGA settlement in future,” Orji said.
