Governors of the six South-West states on Monday banned all forms of open grazing in the region.
The governors took the decision after a meeting with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and security chiefs.
State governors at the meeting include Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa and Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi.
Makinde, who gave a report after the meeting, said, “Today, the South West governors held a security stakeholders’ meeting in Ondo State. The meeting was attended by our brother governors from Kebbi and Jigawa States; security chiefs, South West zone led by the AIG Zone 11 and leaders from the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
“Collectively, we resolved to ban open grazing in all parts of the South-West. In Oyo State, we already have a law against open grazing, which will continue to be implemented by our security agencies.
“I restated that we will not permit criminality as a response to criminal actions. Instead we will continue to support our security agencies to do their duties. Also, we will work with our people to face our common enemies – the criminals; kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits.”
Open grazing has been blamed for clashes between herders and farmers in the region. The rising cases of kidnapping and sundry crimes in the region had also been linked to the activities of criminal elements who masquerade as herdsmen in their host communities.
On January 18, 2021, Governor Akeredolu had ordered herdsmen to leave the Ondo forest reserves within seven days following incidents of kidnapping attributed to Fulani herders.
Also, last Friday in Igangan, Ibarapa, violence erupted when activist and freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, and his supporters, had stormed the ancient town to eject Seriki Fulani, Salihu Abdukadir, and herdsmen accused of perpetrating crimes ranging from kidnappings, killings, rape to invasion of farmlands with their cattle.
