Reports reaching Africa Today News, New York have it that unknown gunmen who broke into the Odogwa village in Rivers State’s Etche Local Government Area shot and killed no less than 21 cows a development which has now been condemned by the Miyetti Allah group.
Speaking at a press interview in Port Harcourt on Friday, the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Rivers State Mohammed Abubakar asserted that further attacks of such magnitude will no longer be allowed.
A total of 21 cows were slaughtered in the event, 15 of which were pregnant, according to Abubakar, who alleged that it happened on Wednesday at around 9 p.m. when the cattle rearers walked into town to purchase some beverages.
He expressed disbelief at the incident since, in his opinion, the cattle rearers had been coexisting peacefully with the locals in their host village.
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Abubakar said, ‘They shot 21 cows and before the Miyetti Allah people came back, the gunmen had escaped.’
‘The cows were littered on the ground dead, just like that. Some just gave birth; some are pregnant. More than 15 were pregnant.’
‘In the morning, they went back to find out what had happened to provoke the attack and they took their complaint to the monarch of the community and other residents there.’
‘They too expressed surprise that they don’t know what happened. We have been living peacefully with the people in this community for long, even when our cows destroy crops, we pay for the damages.’
‘We also pay for the place we are living, yet this sort of thing happened to us. If there was anything wrong that the cattle rearers have done that the people don’t like, they should tell.’
In the meantime, Musa Saidu, the chairman of the Northern Community in Rivers State, has appealed for peace and demanded a full probe into the event.