The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Monday backed the anti-open grazing
law enacted to regulate grazing of cattle in Ekiti State, describing the law as
appropriately fashioned to protect the farmers and cattle rearers.
The prominent traditional ruler and Chairman, Board
of Trustees of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association on Nigeria (MACBAN),
also appealed to the marauding Fulani herdsmen to drop their guns and stop senseless
killings in the interest of Nigeria’s unity and progress.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, had also
granted amnesty to four headers suspected to be terrorizing Oke Ako-Ipao-Irele
axis of the state causing deaths of innocent people.
The governor ordered them to submit their arms to the
security agencies and leave the state in their own interest, regretting that the
activities of the suspected herdsmen were causing crisis in the area.
They spoke in Ado Ekiti during a stakeholders’ meeting
convened to
resolve the killings being allegedly perpetrated by some
herdsmen in
the state .
Sanusi, who was represented by former Governor of Kano
State, Alhaji
Ibrahim Shekarau, said the message of peace became
imperative in view of disunity being deeply entrenched in the country as a
result of series of massacres being carried out in some states of the
federation.
“My mission is not politics, it is about peace and peaceful
coexistence of our country. The Emir mandated me to come here with the
leadership of Miyetti Allah and find out how we can work amicably.
“He feels that as a patron of the group, he must ensure
peace, and lauded Fayose for promoting peace.
"The law the governor enacted is the best to defend the
rights of farmers and cattle breeders. Whoever crosses the red line should be
dealt with as the law provides-that breeders should obey the rules of the
communities they reside.
“The governor anti-open grazing law is the best of its kind
for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians. Anybody who studies the law will
know that it protects all parties.
“While farmers must protect their farms, I advise the Fulani
herdsmen to stop night grazing. This law must be strictly observed, and whoever
fails to comply with it must face the full weight of the law.
“But we won’t
tolerate criminals, thieves, hoodlums who may want to hide under the name of a
certain ethnic group to cause trouble; this is unacceptable and we won’t
tolerate it.
“I want to tell the Miyetti Allah to ensure that their
members comply with the law. We want to assure the governor that we are with
him and we shall continue to support him,” the emir said.
Sanusi thanked the royal fathers for midwifing peace in
their domains, saying this has gone a long way in stemming the tide of crisis
in the country.
The National President of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Muhammadu
Kirowa Zuru, and the zonal Chairman of the association, Alhaji Muhammed Kabir
Laban, said the killings associated with Fulani herdsmen in Ipao and other
towns were not perpetrated by their members in Ekiti State.
Zuru said: “The problem being experienced by herdsmen in
Ogun State is more than that of Ekiti State because as we speak, we have over
three million herders in Ogun State with cows and we are trying to regulate
them.
“We have lived peacefully with Yoruba people in the last 200
years and we shall do everything to ensure that no killing is witnessed any
longer in the state.”
Fayose, who lauded Emir Sanusi and the Sultan of Sokoto for
their interventions, said the essence of the meeting was to find peaceful means
of resolving issues instead of beating the drums of war.
According to Fayose, "A criminal is the one that should
be so treated. Our interest is peace. As we are interested in the welfare of
everybody, we must not allow criminal elements to go free.
“I heard that four herdsmen who entered Ekiti State from
Kogi State were terrorising us. I want them to submit their arms, not
necessarily to me, and leave the state immediately.
“Our relationship goes beyond cows. We must respect one
another, and we will cooperate to achieve result. We want Ekiti State to be a
shining example and anybody that needs to be charged to court or fined will be
so disciplined."
Fayose also said herders in government forest reserves must
come out and register with local government authorities or they would be
treated as those causing trouble in the state.
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