Ban On Open Grazing: Obiano Directs Anambra CP To Produce Data Of Herdsmen, Restates Ban

As part of measures to prevent  farmers’ and herders’ conflict in Anambra state Governor Willie Obiano has directed the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Monday Kuryas, to within one week, produce data of herdsmen operating within the state.Governor Obiano gave the directive during an  expanded Cattle Menace Committee meeting held in Aguleri, Anambra East Council Area.Government House Correspondent, Ejike Abana reports that  according to the Governor, the measure will help strengthen the state’s security architecture, emphasizing that itinerant herders and open grazing remain  banned in the state.

He added that the local herdsmen who are well known in the state, will be accommodated and should   help to  fish out the bad ones perpetrating crime.While warning that drastic steps will be taken after the meeting to enforce the directive,  the Governor noted  that the ban on night grazing by the Miyetti Allah will help to check certain excessess and asked  the Committee to fix compensations  to reflect current market value of cows and crop items.

The Meeting resolved that those concerned should pay backlog of compensations  owed for items damaged during past crisis in various affected communities.While it was agreed that the sum of twelve million naira owed to farmers be payed for damaged crops by the herders, about six million naira was agreed to be payed to the herdsmen for cows killed, as well as three million naira compensation for those that died and all  compensations are to be payed within one week.

In his speech,   the South East Chairman and State Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Gidado Sadik and  Haruna Muhammed affirmed that  in trying to solve the problem, Miyetti Allah nationwide has banned night grazing, and assured that they are collaborating with the Cattle Menace Committee to achieve the set goals , promising to  direct herders to  add more labourers.Issues of kidnapping and undermanning of cows, among others, were also discussed, with solutions proffered, for immediate action.

Present at the meeting are security commanders in the state, Speaker of the state Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Okafor, Secretary to the state government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, AVM Ben Chiobi,  Coordinator  of the state Vigilante  Service  in the state, CP Ikechukwu Aduba rtd, traditional rulers, Presidents-general, House of Assembly members, youths of affected communities and  Miyetti Allah leadership in the state, among others.