Grazing law: Fayose releases detained cows, sign peace pact with herdsmen

7 years ago

Grazing law: Fayose releases detained cows, sign peace pact with herdsmen

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, on Thursday released nine cows arrested for contravening the state’s anti-grazing law to the group.

He released the cows after signing peace pact with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN),
Fayose, however, stated that he released the cows to cement the relationship between the government, farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in the state, warning that the 7am till 6pm grazing period stipulated in the law stands and that anyone who contravene it will be dealt with.

The Miyetti Allah at the meeting signed a peace pact with the government, promising to co-exist peacefully with the farmers and residents of the state.?

The cows were seized a couple of weeks ago by the recently inaugurated Ekiti State Grazing Enforcement Marshal for contravening the? anti-grazing law.

Fayose said: “I have decided to release these cows to strengthen our union. So, I expect you to comply with the law because after now, if you contravene the law, we will take appropriate sanctions against you”.

The governor empowered the traditional rulers to enforce the grazing law in their domains and to apportion lands to herdsmen to do their businesses under a controlled situation.

“You can’t because you are rearing cows be destroying our farmlands. Our people rely on these farms to survive and the moment you are destroying them, then they will not be interested to go into farming and hunger will affect all of us”, he said.

Fayose threatened to deal with whoever harassed the cattle rearers while doing their legitimate businesses, urging the leaders of Miyetti Allah to always report directly to him any case of intimidation and oppression against their members.

The Southwest Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Mohammed Abass, warned the government at all levels against politicizing the crisis between his members and farmers in some states.

Abass, who said the cattle business was very profitable in the southwest, added that government politicizing the agriculture sector would destroy the business and this, he said, may have an adverse effect on the diversification process of the government.

“We want to appeal to the government to leave us out of politics. We are here to do our business and whatever crisis we have, I think we should be able to resolve it. But when issues that could be resolved are being politicized, then it assumes a dangerous dimension.

“Cattle business is profitable in the southwest. Many of us were born here and we have multi-million business which government can bank on and make enough revenues. So, we are pleading with Governor Fayose to ?ensure that this business thrives in Ekiti”, he pleaded.