Iwe Women Assembly (IWA) a pan Igbo group has advised the governors of the South East states to immediately begin implementation of anti-open grazing laws enacted by the Houses of Assembly.
It also told the states that were yet to enact the laws against open grazing to do so without further delay, saying that implementation of the law would save the region from insecurity and looming famine.
The President of IWA, Nneka Chimezie and her members made the demand in Umuahia while briefing journalists.
She attributed the rising cost of food stuff, especially in the South East to the fact that many farmers recorded losses after their farms were destroyed by herdsmen’s cattle.
The IWE members, who also said their sons were now relocating from the South East to other parts of the country and beyond, blamed the ugly situation on insecurity and fear of bandits and overzealous security agencies.
According to Chimezie, some communities like Orlu, Mbano, Awo Idemili now have low numbers of youths, saying that the situation portended bad omen for the South East.
The group, which totally condemned the killing of soldiers in Abia state, said that the killers of the soldiers should be arrested.
It however appealed to the military authorities to go after the real criminals and ensure that innocent persons were not punished.
“We totally condemn the killing of soldiers in Aba. Those soldiers are people’s husbands and fathers.
“At the same time, we demand that innocent people and communities are not made victims of what they don’t know,” the group appealed.
IWA further used the occasion to raise the alarm that most Igbo children living within and outside Igbo land no longer speak Igbo language, saying that the language may go extinct in a few years if the ugly trend was not arrested.