Ban of cattle meat from Fulani herders in the South East has elicited angry reactions from an association of cattle traders.
The ban placed on cow meat from Fulani herders has been reciprocated by cattle traders who also asked its members to discontinue the supply of beef to the region.
Chairman of the Amalgamation of Northern Traders in Cattle, Grains and vegetables, Mohammed Tahir, says their members would boycott South-Eastern markets in reaction to the ban placed on beef consumption by the Indigenous People of Biafra in the region.
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IPOB had in a statement on January 3, banned the slaughtering and eating of cows from Fulani herders during occasions in the South-East region.
“Effective April, Fulani cows will not be used for any social or ceremonial events and festivals in Biafraland. Our native cows will be used instead for these events. Traditional custodians of our culture, the clergy and town unions must ensure that this message gets to the grassroots,” the statement reads in part.
Reacting to the ban, the Northern traders said members were prepared to comply with the directive by discontinuing its sale of cattle, grains, onions and other foodstuffs in the region.
The Tahir said: “For us, we would always support the indivisibility of Nigeria; but if IPOB wants to secede, then so be it.
“Bilateral trade between us and them is all about wealth creation for the two regions; the cattle we take to them is food and not poison.
“Therefore, if someone rejects your benevolent supply of food to their region, then you stop; because you must not feed them.
“After all, it is a mere unsustainable propaganda, which we’ve been hearing over the years.”
Tahir further asserted that IPOB lacked the capacity to sustain the ban as their people would soon revolt due to scarcity of beef and other foodstuffs which only the North can supply.
IPOB had earlier this week announced the ban on singing of Nigerian national anthem in schools and on eating beef during occasions in the region.