BREAKING: South-West governors ban open grazing in Nigeria

Nigerian governors of the South-West have agreed to ban all forms of open grazing in the region, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said.

According to him, the decision was taken on Monday when the governors met with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria as well as security chiefs.

Some of the governors in attendance include Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa State, and Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State.

Giving a report after the meeting, Makinde tweeted, “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 had been responsible 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.

Akeredolu on January 18, 2021 ordered herdsmen to leave Ondo forest reserves within seven days following incidents of kidnapping attributed to Fulani herders.

Violence had erupted in Igangan, Ibarapa, on Friday when a popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, well known as Sunday Igboho, alongside his followers, stormed the Fulani settlement in 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.