– The Miyetti Allah in Ekiti state has signed a peace pact with the state government promising to co-exist peacefully with the farmers and residents of the state

– Following the peace meeting, Governor Fayose released nine cows arrested for contravening the state's anti-grazing law



– The governor warned that the 7am till 6pm grazing period stipulated in the ant-grazing law stands and that anyone who contravenes this will be dealt with

Governor Ayodele Fayose held a peace meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) on Thursday, November 3.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has held a peace meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

The Miyetti Allah at the meeting held in the government house, signed a peace pact with the government, promising to co-exist peacefully with the farmers and residents of the state, Vanguard reports.

The governor also released nine cows arrested for contravening the state's anti-grazing law. The cows were seized a couple of weeks ago by the Ekiti State Grazing Enforcement Marshals for contravening anti-grazing law.

Fayose, at the peace meeting which was attended by south-west, traditional rulers and the Fulani community on Thursday, November 3, mandated that cattle breeders operating in Ekiti state register with the traditional rulers of their host communities.

The governor however noted that the free registration must be done within the next 14 days after which the registered names would be forwarded to the state government for data keeping.

He also warned that the 7am till 6pm grazing period stipulated in the law stands and that anyone who contravenes this will be dealt with.

Fayose said he released the cows to cement the relationship between the government, farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in the state.

Fayose said: "I have decided to release these cows to strengthen our union. So, I expect you to comply with the law because after now, ifyou contravene the law, we will take appropriate sanctions against you."

The governor empowered the traditional rulers to enforce the grazing law in their domains and to apportion lands to herdsmen to do their businesses under a controlled situation.

There had been tension between the Ekiti state government and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the umbrella body for herdsmen in Nigeria after Fayose restricted the activities of the herdsmen and arrested some of them for flouting the law Ekiti state anti-grazing law.

The MACBAN group had also criticised Fayose for inaugurating a vigilante group, Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM), popularly called 'Anti-malu', describing it as a threat to banish its members from Ekiti state.

But Fayose in turn accused the federal government of siding with the cattle breeders to attack the Ekiti people.


Source: http://nigeriabreakingnews.com.ng/war-against-herdsmen-fayose-makes-u-turn/