A group under the aegis of Save Kogi Project (SKP) has given Yahaya Bello, the state governor, a seven-day ultimatum to the to reverse his grazing colony policy or risk mass protest across the state.
Dr. Umar Shaibu, Pastor Ugbede Sam and Hon. Shola Emmanuel, Coordinators of the group, in a statement made available to journalists Monday in Lokoja, noted that the proposed cattle colony for Fulani Herdsmen by President Muhammadu Buhari was to bring the country back to the dark era of colonisation.
The SKP group whose membership cut across the three senatorial districts of the state frowned at the government’s orchestrated plan to establish cattle colony in Kogi State, stating that the move was a new form of colonization.
While condemning the proposal as undemocratic and unacceptable to the people of Kogi State, the group stressed that the attempt to “recolonise” the people through the back windows would be resisted by the group.
It said, “We the people of Kogi State say “NO” to second colonisation. Government is the father to all, it is the responsibility of the father to cater and protect all the children equally to keep the family one.
“If the Government of Kogi State under Governor Yahaya Bello fails to reverse the grazing colony policy within seven days from now, we shall take to the streets in our thousands to show that the power of the people is more than that of the people in government.”
The SKP group added further that Kogi is not a free zone, with unused hectares of land for such experiment, warning that any attempt to force it on the people would be vehemently resisted.
The statement lampooned the country’s democracy, which it likened to military-democracy of sharing, pointing out that no nation developed with impunity by the government.
“Although the herdsmen are fellow Nigerians and they have the constitutional right to stay in any part of the country of their choice, but caution must be applied to their operation to avoid collision with their host communities,” the group advised.
