Fayose inaugurates Anti-grazing Marshals

Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

More troubles seem to be underway for herdsmen destroying farmlands in Ekiti State as Governor Ayodele Fayose on Thursday inaugurated the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals with the warning that cattle found grazing after 6pm would be confiscated by the state
government.

He also‎ said the state government would collaborate with the police and other security agencies to tackle recalcitrant armed herdsmen, saying marshals are not to carry arms and therefore would rely on agencies empowered by law to carry arms to tackle armed cattle
rearers.

The governor, who said there must be a stop to the menace of innocent people being killed and the means of livelihood of farmers being taken away, noted that 10.000 cattle could not compensate for the life of one human being lost in conflict between herdsmen and local farmers.

While frowning on cattle rustling by some people, Fayose added that the law was in the interest of cattle rearers too, as their operations would be streamlined.

‎”We have a right to life and to survive and holding things for our survival especially peasant farmers, whose means of livelihood are taken away by cattle feeding on their crops.‎ If the gains of peasant farmers are taken away in a jiffy, that is condemnable.‎ We will bring to permanent end, the situation whereby some people take away the means of livelihood of others.