The Ekiti
State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has banned grazing and rearing of cattle in the
state, saying those interested in cattle farming should get their own private
cattle ranch.
The governor, who became the first ever state executive to take
such a drastic measure in the country, also said a bill to make the movement of
cattle from one location to another criminal in the state would soon be sent to
the State House of Assembly.
Governor Fayose, who made this known when he visited Oke-Ako in
Ikole local government area of the State that was invaded last Friday by Fulani
herdsmen that killed two residents of the town and injured others, warned that
government would henceforth confiscate any cattle seen anywhere in the State
apart from ranch created for them by their owners.
He described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked Oke-Ako and other
communities in the country as “agents of the devil that must be fished out and
punished accordingly.”
The governor 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 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 those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so in
their own cattle ranch.
“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 House of Assembly for
passage into law to criminalise 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 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, late Alhaji Lam Adesina is now keeping silent when
the same herdsmen are killing our people, we must rise and defend ourselves.”
“It is our duty to protect our people and we are going to do
that without fear or favour.
The governor said the activities of Fulani herdsmen was inimical
to the revival of agriculture in the country saying, “one wonders how Nigerians
can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of
naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands by the Fulani Herdsmen
and the Federal Government is not doing anything about it.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Contact Us
Email: publisher@absolutehearts.com
Phone/whatsapp: +2348027922363