The Governors’ Forum has reached a consensus with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN to ban night and under-aged grazing as well as the unauthorised occupation of forest reserves, a communique in Akure said on Monday.
The decision was taken on Monday, after they met with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) as well as security chiefs.
Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun State), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Mohammed Abubakar (Jigawa State) and Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi State) were all in attendance.
Speaking after the meeting to newsmen, the chairman of the Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state said free-range grazing must stop, and encouraged herders to adopt modern breeding process.
The governor, who acknowledged that MACBAN also suffers from insecurity, like abduction, however said the quit order of the Ondo State Government to herders, which sparked outrage especially in the north, was meant for those occupying the state’s forest reserves illegally.
The Jigawa state’s governor, Muhammed Abubakar and Kebbi state, Abubakar Bagudu commended southwest governors for the timely intervention.
The national president, Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa called on the members to join hand with governments to nip crimes in the bud
Also in attendance were Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Omisore Seyi Makinde of Oyo and a former deputy governor of Osun State.
