Catholic Church Stages Protest Against Herdsmen Attack in Enugu

Three Catholic Church Dioceses in Enugu State, today, held protest rallies across the State over the incessant attacks by herdsmen.

DAILY POST reports that the protest, which held simultaneously in Nsukka, Awgu and Enugu, attracted ‎thousands of the church members, including priests. Protesters moved round the streets in Nsukka and Awgu Dioceses, while in Enugu where they held a prayer procession at the Holy Ghost Cathedral.
Governor Ifeanyi Ug‎wuanyi, members of the State Executive Council and all the Security Chiefs attended the prayers in Enugu to forestall to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Catholic Bishops led by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Callistus Onaga, issued a statement during the protest.
Parts of the statement read, “the free grazing of cattle in our area has now become a threat not only to the growing of crops, which is the mainstay of our sedentary people, but also to our lives. That the nomadic lifestyle makes policing and the pursuit of criminals much more complex and hazardous, while providing terrorists like Boko Haram operatives with ready cover for penetrating every nook and. Cranny of our country.”
“In the light of this, therefore, we call on the Federal Government to drop, without further delay, the so-called ‘Grazing Bill’, which is quite capable of tearing apart the fragile unity of our country.
”We urge all our local community leaders to refrain from entering into agreements with herdsmen or with any other group of persons that would create room for tension and crisis. We would advise that all such agreements already in existence be renegotiated in a way that would ensure justice for all the parties”,

Source:- Dailypostng