Ekiti Killings: Fayose bans cattle grazing, says cattle farmers must own ranches
Tue May 24, 2016 01:19:pm National
2.6K By sosa hills
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has banned grazing and the rearing of cattle in the state, directing those interested in cattle rearing to setup their ranches.
The governor hinted that a bill to criminalise the movement of cattle in the state will soon be sent to the Ekiti State House of Assembly for action.
Governor Fayose donated N2.5 million to the families of the villagers who were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen and gave another N2.5 million and a pickup van with security gadgets to local hunters to protect their people.
Fayose disclosed the ban on grazing when he visited Oke-Ako in Ikole Local Government Area of the state which was invaded last Friday by Fulani herdsmen who killed two residents of the town and injured several others.
He warned that the state government will henceforth seize any cattle in any part of the state outside a ranch created for them by their owners.
The governor described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked in Oke-Ako and other communities in the country as "agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly."
Fayose said: "We will not leave our lands for Fulani herdsmen and in a system where the leadership of the country looks the other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to defend ourselves by whatever means.
"I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen. I am also here to assure you that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise.
"I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop in Ekiti State and that those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so in their own cattle ranches.
"There shall be no more movement of cattle from one location to another in the state and any cattle seen anywhere in Ekiti State apart from the ranch created for them by their owners, will be confiscated by the government and their owners will be prosecuted.
"A bill to this effect will be sent to the House of Assembly for passage into law to prosecute cattle owners whose cattle are found moving from one location the other in the state.
"If President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has refused to call the herdsmen to order, we in Ekiti will no longer harbour herdsmen who go about killing our people, destroying our farmlands and raping our women.
"If the same President Buhari that was so concerned about the killing of Fulani herdsmen in Saki, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, such that he, as a private citizen, led Arewa to Ibadan on October 13, 2000 to confront the then Governor of Oyo State, the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, but is now keeping silent when the same herdsmen are killing our people; we must rise and defend ourselves," Fayose said.
Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has urged the Federal Government to limit the proposed grazing reserves to the northern region to forestall further clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.
The governor also appealed to the Federal Government to act quickly on the issue to prevent the situation from snowballing into a major crisis in the country.
Okowa stated this on Monday during a press conference in Asaba to mark his one year in office.
He said: "If the grazing reserves are created in the North, we may be able to limit the movement of the herdsmen in the South. The reason is because there are more lands in the North, and with the Minister of Agriculture bringing in foreign grasses that grow faster, with the right irrigation, the ranches in the North can help end the growing unease between the herdsmen and their hosts in the South, where there is less land."
The governor lamented that the present economic crunch in the country has severely affected his proposed developmental plans for Deltans in his first year as governor.
He added that despite the present economic downturn in the country, his administration has remained on course.
Governor Okowa explained that his government has refused to adopt the Treasury Single Account (TSA) because it needed to modify it to stem the challenges it poses for the banks.
On pipeline vandalism by the militants in the Niger Delta, the governor said his administration, with collaboration from host communities is working to end the violence. He also revealed that the deputy governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, is in the creeks discussing with the militants.
The governor hinted that a bill to criminalise the movement of cattle in the state will soon be sent to the Ekiti State House of Assembly for action.
Governor Fayose donated N2.5 million to the families of the villagers who were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen and gave another N2.5 million and a pickup van with security gadgets to local hunters to protect their people.
Fayose disclosed the ban on grazing when he visited Oke-Ako in Ikole Local Government Area of the state which was invaded last Friday by Fulani herdsmen who killed two residents of the town and injured several others.
He warned that the state government will henceforth seize any cattle in any part of the state outside a ranch created for them by their owners.
The governor described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked in Oke-Ako and other communities in the country as "agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly."
Fayose said: "We will not leave our lands for Fulani herdsmen and in a system where the leadership of the country looks the other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to defend ourselves by whatever means.
"I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen. I am also here to assure you that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise.
"I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop in Ekiti State and that those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so in their own cattle ranches.
"There shall be no more movement of cattle from one location to another in the state and any cattle seen anywhere in Ekiti State apart from the ranch created for them by their owners, will be confiscated by the government and their owners will be prosecuted.
"A bill to this effect will be sent to the House of Assembly for passage into law to prosecute cattle owners whose cattle are found moving from one location the other in the state.
"If President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has refused to call the herdsmen to order, we in Ekiti will no longer harbour herdsmen who go about killing our people, destroying our farmlands and raping our women.
"If the same President Buhari that was so concerned about the killing of Fulani herdsmen in Saki, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, such that he, as a private citizen, led Arewa to Ibadan on October 13, 2000 to confront the then Governor of Oyo State, the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, but is now keeping silent when the same herdsmen are killing our people; we must rise and defend ourselves," Fayose said.
Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has urged the Federal Government to limit the proposed grazing reserves to the northern region to forestall further clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.
The governor also appealed to the Federal Government to act quickly on the issue to prevent the situation from snowballing into a major crisis in the country.
Okowa stated this on Monday during a press conference in Asaba to mark his one year in office.
He said: "If the grazing reserves are created in the North, we may be able to limit the movement of the herdsmen in the South. The reason is because there are more lands in the North, and with the Minister of Agriculture bringing in foreign grasses that grow faster, with the right irrigation, the ranches in the North can help end the growing unease between the herdsmen and their hosts in the South, where there is less land."
The governor lamented that the present economic crunch in the country has severely affected his proposed developmental plans for Deltans in his first year as governor.
He added that despite the present economic downturn in the country, his administration has remained on course.
Governor Okowa explained that his government has refused to adopt the Treasury Single Account (TSA) because it needed to modify it to stem the challenges it poses for the banks.
On pipeline vandalism by the militants in the Niger Delta, the governor said his administration, with collaboration from host communities is working to end the violence. He also revealed that the deputy governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, is in the creeks discussing with the militants.
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