Bayelsa State Government has denied giving Fulani cattle breeders 14 days notice to vacate the state.
Commissioner for agriculture and natural resources David Alagoa said it was not true that the government asked the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to leave the state.
Mr Alagoa told BBC Pidgin on Tuesday that the Bayelsa State livestock management committee held a meeting with leaders of MACBAN where they agreed that cattle herders should go into some selecte areas in the oil rich state.
The select areas are places where ranching is permitted as a proactive step to stop any farmers and herders clash in the state.
“The Miyetti Allah and the livestock committee came together in a meeting and understood the reasons for them not to leave the state.
“But for them to move into designated areas where ranching is permitted so they won’t disturb farms because we are going aggressively into farming.”
“Plenty rice farms, cassava farms and fish farms are there which we collected loans for, so many farmers are out there. So we are taking proactive steps. We don’t want any clash between herders and farmers as we have seen in other states,” he added.
