By Peter Okutu

ABAKALIKI—Ebonyi State government, weekend, condemned some of the unwholesome activities of herdsmen operating within Abakaliki, the state capital.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Uchenna Orji, stated this during an inspection tour of Ebonyi State Hatchery in Abakaliki.

Ebonyi State Hatchery complex was, weekend, besieged by herdsmen in the state, who allegedly destroyed a section of the perimeter fence housing the agricultural complex to enable their cattles graze in the area.

Orji described the action of the herdsmen as a sabotage, wickedness and disrespect for constituted authority.

The Commissioner, who however, appreciated the economic importance of the herdsmen in society, explained that the public had been complaining about the nuisance posed by the activities herdsmen.

He stressed that the ministry would not condone such act of wickedness as arrangements were on to summon the heads of the herdsmen in Abakaliki for a round-table discussion.

“It is a wicked act and we condemn it in its totality. Their action is reflective of their lack of respect for constituted authority. The ministry condemns this act of lawlessness by those who came to Ebonyi to rear their cow. It is an act of sabotage. We cannot condone it.”

Reporting the incident to the commissioner and his entourage, a staff of the complex, Steven Nkwuda stated that the intrusion of the herdsmen was discovered when security-men were patrolling in the complex.

“One of our security-men on patrol raised alarm over the intrusion of the herdsmen and we ran after them. They ran away and we were able to catch two of their cows. They broke into the complex by bring down a section of the perimeter fence,” Nkwuda said.