Cattle grazing would henceforth be monitored in Ekiti State and the law regulating cattle grazing in the state would be earnestly enforced.
The Chairman of the Farmers/Herders Peace Committee in Ekiti State, Rtd. Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana who made this known during a Peace Committee meeting in Ado Ekiti, said that anybody caught contravening any section of the “Prohibition of Cattle and Other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law, 2016” would be prosecuted.
Noting that the State was blessed with comparative advantage for self-sustenance in food and animal production, Ogundana stressed that nothing would be allowed to jeopardize the peaceful co-existence of all stakeholders in the State.
He recalled that section 2, subsection 3 and 4 of the Grazing law specifically stated that “No cattle or other ruminants shall by any means move or graze at night” adding that “Cattle movement and grazing are restricted to the hours between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm”.
According to him, section 4, subsection 1to 3 expressly stated that “any herdsmen found in possession of firearms and other offensive weapons shall be charged with terrorism” adding that “any confiscated cattle shall be taken to Government cattle ranches at Erinfun, Iworoko and any other designated areas as may be directed” and “any property or farm products destroyed by the cattle shall be valued by the agricultural officers and made to be paid for by the herdsmen.”
He said that “under the first amendment of 2018, it was added in section 2 (1) (c) that any unregistered herdsman who commits a crime within the State shall on conviction be liable to five (5) years imprisonment while section 2 (1) (d) states that any person within the State who harbours, aids or assist an unregistered herdsman to graze on any land in Ekiti State shall, on conviction, be liable to two (2) years imprisonment and Section 2 (1) (e) states that any person who intentionally kills any cattle within the State out of vengeance shall, on conviction be liable to one (1) year imprisonment”.
Ogundana emphasized the need to curb any form of threat of insecurity and wanton damage of farms capable of driving farmers away from their farms and cause food shortage.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade frowned at the reported destruction of crops, farmlands and valuable properties and appealed to herders to properly guide their cattle to curb the bad trend.
The Chairman of the Ekiti State Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammadu Nasamu pledged to help sustain the relative peace between herders and farmers in the State.
Alhaji Mohammadu Nasamu promised to sensitize his people on the need to maintain peace in the interest of all.
Packaged by Mayowa Owogbade
