The Ondo State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has stated that it is tired of open grazing.
MACBAN Chairman in the state, Bello Garba, stated this during a public hearing on a bill to regulate rearing and grazing of livestock and provide for the establishment of ranches and other related matters in Akure, on Wednesday, NAN reports.
Garba called on the Rotimi Akeredolu-led government to provide ranches as a way of putting an end to persistent crisis between farmers and herdsmen.
The MACBAN chairman promised to “support any peaceful move to address the issue in the state, and farmers and herdsmen must carry out their respective activities without clashing.
“The association has been begging the state government to register Fulani men in all the local government area of the state.”
Also speaking, Ibrahim Abdul-Rahman, the Assistant Secretary of the association in the state called on herdsmen to embrace ranching, stressing that open grazing had become obsolete.
“Farmers and herders must allow peace to reign, considering the importance of both parties to nation’s growth,” he said.
In related news, the Nigerian Senate has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), to immediately deploy more security personnel to the South-West geopolitical zone.
TrackNews Online reports that the Senate gave the directive on Wednesday following the security challenges rocking the South-west region including banditry, herdsmen killings, amongst others.
The lawmakers noted that the directive was needed to avert a looming humanitarian crisis likely to occur as a result of the displacement of residents in Ogun State and other troubled states.
The Senate also charged the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Border Communities Development Agency to undertake an ‘on-the-spot’ assessment of the affected communities with a view to determining the extent of the problem and providing relief to the affected persons.
