Following recent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in parts of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the State Government on Tuesday directed the chairmen of the eight local government councils to immediately set up sub-committees to work with its Anti-Open Grazing Law Implementation Committee to check the activities of errant herdsmen in the state.
The State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the directive during a meeting with a delegation of women from Otuasega community, top security officers and other stakeholders in Government House, Yenagoa.
Some Bayelsa women had blocked the major road on Monday to protest against the unrestrained destruction of their farms and crops by the Fulani herdsmen.
A statement by the media aide to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted him as saying that the meeting was necessitated by recent cases of herdsmen violation of the anti-open grazing law at Otuasega in Ogbia council area and other parts of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo urged the various councils to constitute the sub-committees within one week as part of proactive steps necessary to checkmate the encroachment of farmlands and destruction of crops by cattle rearers.
He explained that the sub-committees would work under the close supervision of the State Anti-open Grazing Law Implementation Committee headed by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. David Alagoa.
The Deputy Governor also stressed the need for the state police command and the 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army to set up a swift response team to work closely with the committee.
According to Senator Ewhrudjakpo, government determined to enforce the anti-open grazing law to the letter.
He warned that violators of the law would be arrested and prosecuted.
Addressing the women of Otuasega at the meeting, the Bayelsa number two man advised them to always channel their grievances to government, rather than resort to blocking of roads to protest.
He assured them that the doors of the state government were always open to them for dialogue and resolution of issues.
Speaking on behalf of the women, the Otuasega Women Leader, Mrs. Amiena Princewill Agiobu, said the women blocked the major road on Monday to protest against the unrestrained destruction of their farms and crops by the Fulani herdsmen.
She pointed out that the herdsmen had attacked one of the community youths and that the situation was gradually getting out of hand, hence they protested to draw government’s attention to the issue.
In their contributions, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. David Alagoa, and the Special Adviser on security, CP Akpoebi Agberebi (Rtd.), who identified Okarki, a neighbouring Rivers State community as the major route through which herdsmen enter the state, promised to beef up security in the area.
They noted that security operatives have had shoot-outs with errant herdsmen in the state, resulting in the impoundment of over 150 cattle and arrest of suspected violators, adding that some of the culprits were still in confinement at the Okaka Correctional Center.
The Commissioner for Local Government, his women affairs counterpart, the state Commissioner of Police, the Chief of Staff, 16th Brigade of Nigerian Army, local government council chairmen among other government functionaries attended the meeting.
END
