Urhobo Progressive Union worldwide rejects Ruga settlement in Delta
Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) worldwide has rejected in its totality, the federal government’s proposed Ruga settlement for herdsmen, describing the policy as a subtle attempt by the government to forcefully cede lands across the country to the Fulani people who constitute less than one per cent of Nigeria’s population.
A statement issued and signed by the UPU Publicity Secretary, Abel Osheviere, made available to journalists in Asaba states that the Buhari administration in insisting on going ahead with the unpopular policy, the federal government has openly demonstrated its insensitivity to the feelings and yearnings of other Nigerians.
He asserted that “it is most unreasonable, uncharitable, callous and unfair to impose a policy, no matter how good such a policy might be on the majority, just to satisfy the whims and caprices of a tiny minority.”
According to the union, it is indefensible for the government to remain bent on implementing a policy that has been stoutly rejected by every ethnic nationality in the country, adding that “are we a conquered people? Are we not in a free country and practising democracy where the will of the people should prevail?
“Let it be categorically stated that the Urhobo nation will never cede an inch of her territory to any stranger under any guise. As the fourth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria, nobody can intimidate or compel us to give up our God-given land to any stranger against our will”
“The federal government has not commandeered land in any part of Katsina state to give to Urhobo farmers living there or any part of Nigeria. We are all equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project. Nobody is a second-class citizen in Nigeria, certainly, not the Urhobos.”
