Ekiti govt. set to criminalize grazing | Nigeria Newspaper - Latest Nigeria News paper

10.8.16

Ekiti govt. set to criminalize grazing

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In a bid to forestall the re-occurrence of herdsmen killings, the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Wednesday conducted a public hearing on a bill seeking restrictions on cattle rearing in the state.

The public hearing on the bill tagged, ‘Prohibition of Cattle Grazing Bill, 2016’ was attended by security agencies, traditional rulers, officials of the Ministries of Justice and Environment, Fulani herdsmen and other stakeholders.
Presiding over the hearing, the Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewumi said it was organized to seek opinions of critical stakeholders on the matter.
“This forum is for us to aggregate the opinions of stakeholders to address sensitive areas of the bill. The major assignment before this gathering is to critically examine the bill from all sides and angles for possible amendments.
“Our hope is that the public hearing will help the quality of the bill and enhance its quick passage into law.”
The Legal Adviser, Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Umar Imam urged the lawmakers to reconsider its stand on the banning of night grazing.
He said the body was not opposing the passage of the bill.
He disagreed with section 2(1) and 2 which suggested that designated ranches will be provided by the government to restrict the cattle to a portion, saying this will lead to the death of the cattle of his clients.
The Secretary of Ekiti Cattle Rearers’ Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Zayyannu, gave the suggestion of a joint vigilance group, comprising farmers, herdsmen and security agencies to arrest those destroying farmlands.
The chairman of the Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, said ranches will be created in the senatorial districts under the proposed law.
Following the May 20 night attack on Oke Ako in Ekiti State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, Governor Ayodele Fayose had placed restrictions on movement of cattle in the state.
Fayose had during his visit to the town said that every cattle dealer in the state must own a ranch, ordering the villagers to kill straying cattle within their farmlands.

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