Gov Makinde, Southwest Governors Meet, Agree to Ban Open and Night Grazing

In a meeting today between the Governors and Leaders in Southwestern Nigeria and the national leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, both parties agreed to the immediate effect stop open grazing, night grazing and under-age grazing in a bid to forestall incessant crisis between the herdsmen and farmers in the Southwest region and in the country at large.

The meeting which was held to find lasting solutions to the incessant killings, kidnapping, and crises between herdsmen and farmers in the Southwest region was held at the International Culture and Event Center in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Oyo Affairs correspondent who monitored the proceeding of the meeting reports that present at the meeting were the Governors of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state.

Also the governor of Jigawa state, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, and the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu were present at the meeting but the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun were absent at the meeting.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Southwest Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, who debunked a statement credited to him that he ordered Fulanis to leave Ondo state, explained that based on a security report he received that bandits are using the state forest reserves as hideouts to carry out coordinator attacks, he directed that all illegal occupants of the forest reserves should vacate the area in a bid to further curb crime and criminality in his state and not to witch-hunt the Fulanis.

In his address, the National President, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa, whose speech was delivered by the MACBAN National Secretary, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, directed the herders in the Southwest region and in Nigeria at large to with immediate effect stop open grazing, night grazing and under-age grazing in a bid to forestall incessant crisis between the herdsmen and farmers in the Southwest region and in the country at large.

Also speaking, the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, who promised at the meeting that his administration will not in the course of fighting criminality, commit another crime, assured all residents of Oyo state of adequate security of lives and property.

While reading out the resolution of the meeting, the chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi, stressed that no governor in the southwest region will order Fulanis to vacate their state, rather, the news circulated in the regard was misinterpreted.

He, however, noted that there must be a framework for the operation of MACBAN in the Southwest region, and ranches must be mandated for the herders so that cattle will no longer roam about and disrupt other persons’ livelihood.

Other dignitaries present at the meeting include various security chiefs in the Southwest region led by the AIG Zone 11, Olufemi Agunbiade, former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore; MACBAN state and national excos, among others.