South West governors, Miyetti Allah agree to end insecurity
Arising from a meeting with South-West governors in Akure on Monday, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) agreed to work with governments in the region and security agencies to curb insecurity by flushing out killer herdsmen in the area.
The meeting followed the tension generated by a seven-day eviction notice issued by Ondo State Government to unauthorised herdsmen to quit the state’s forest reserves, which expired on Sunday.
South-West governors in attendance were Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun State) and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
Other dignitaries included security chiefs in the South-West region led by the AIG Zone 11, Olufemi Agunbiade, former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore; MACBAN state and national officers and others.
They met to find lasting solutions to incessant killings, kidnapping, and clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the region. Governors of Jigawa State, Muhammad Abubakar and his Kebbi State counterpart, Abubakar Bagudu were also present at the meeting while the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun were absent.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the governors and MACBAN agreed that the order of the Ondo State Governor was misconstrued and misrepresented and that he only ordered those occupying the forest reserves in Ondo State illegally to quit.
It further stated: “Criminals should be apprehended and punished, no matter their origin, class or status. Security agencies have been trying to stem the tide of criminality in the country but must step up their efforts in the fight.
“There is the need to build partnership for peace and security with MACBAN and jointly wage war against criminality. No one had sent anyone away from any state or region but all hands must be on deck to fight criminality.”
The governors and other stakeholders affirmed that MACBAN should embrace and be committed to modern breeding process by creating grazing reserves, practising ranching to prevent cattle roaming about.
According to them, there is need to set up a standing committee in each state where there is none comprising farmers, MACBAN and the government representatives to ensure synergy and result.
Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has, in its reaction, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to meet with state governors to douse tension in the country.
Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made the appeal in a statement made available to journalists on Monday in Abuja.
The forum noted that events in South-West were assuming national dimensions and needed national solutions.
Restraint in their comments
The elders appealed to Nigerians to exercise great restraint in their comments and actions in these trying times and urged leaders at all levels to contribute to solutions to developing threats.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),Chief Olu Falae, whose farmland was attacked a number of times by herdsmen, decried sentiments attached to the issue of herdsmen/farmers’ rift across the nation by the government.
Falae, who was kidnapped by herdsmen on his 77th birthday in September 2015, said the government should assist the herdsmen to set up ranches in the north, “where cattle is indigenous. Let them run as private business without harassing anybody and anybody harassing them.”
He said the time has come for Nigeria to do what the rest of the world has done, which is to move away from this ancient free grazing of cattle.
He adds that Nigeria should move into modern cattle ranching which is what the whole world is now doing.
Lateefah Ibrahim
