Ekiti state government has issued a stern warning to herders operating in the state not to make a mess of government’s huge investment in agriculture by allowing their flocks invade and destroy farms in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Brig. General Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd) gave the warning in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting of Ekiti State Farmers’/Herders’ peace committee at Jibowu hall, Government House. He said government will henceforth invoke the full weight of the law on any underage found herding or anyone herding at night.
Gen. Ogundana, who is also the chairman of the committee, disclosed that Governor Oyebanji inaugurated the committee in 2023 in his effort to bring permanent end to farmers/herder clashes in the state. He affirmed that the ban became imperative in order to bring peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding between farmers and pastoralists in the state.
“Since the government will not fold its arms and allow the lawlessness to continue, the Herders/Farmers Peace Committee was inaugurated by Governor Biodun Oyebanji in 2023. The Committee is to interface between the herders and farmers. In addition, there are other policies and control measures put in place to strengthen the relationship between them.
“Some of these policies include; Anti-Grazing Law which is an Act of the state House of Assembly. The law is to ensure that there is no grazing at night, Prohibition of under-age from grazing, no grazing on the farmland and the defaulters are to be dealt with according to the law of the land.
He called on traditional rulers, local government Chairmen and representatives of farmers and herders to create a forum where they can dialogue on the need to be inter- dependence and invariably address the issue of suspicion, trespasses by either party as well as educate one another on the importance of abiding with the Anti-Grazing Law of the state.
