The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, which is the apex association of herdsmen in the country, has said the Akeredolu administration must provide alternative land for cattle to graze if it truly wants to enforce the order that herdsmen should vacate the forest reserves in Ondo State.
MACBAN stressed that it’s not aware of the new order by the governor adding that it would wait for an official communication before any action is taken.
The Association disclosed this through its Secretary-General, Usman Baba-Ngelzerma, who spoke with Punch on Monday evening.
Baba-Ngelzerma said, ““The governor had a two-hour meeting today and the chairman of MACBAN in Ondo State was there and what he told me was that the agreement they reached was that we should stop night grazing and stop allowing cows to graze around government properties and that we should cooperate with Amotekun and help fish out bad eggs among them.
“That is what we were told. There was no discussion about vacating. But if they asked them to vacate the forest reserves, have they provided an alternative for them to graze? Where will they graze if they leave the forest reserves?
“As it is now, we are not aware of any order to vacate. My chairman is not aware. Even I just read about it in the media. When we have confirmed, we will know what to do.”
Akeredolu had on Monday issued a statement, giving herdsmen seven days to vacate all forest reserves due to the high rate of kidnapping in the state.
The governor said, “Today, we have taken major steps at addressing the root cause of kidnapping, in particular, and other nefarious activities detailed and documented in security reports, the press, and debriefings from victims of kidnap cases in Ondo State.
“As the Chief Law and Security Officer of the State, it is my constitutional obligation to do everything lawful to protect the lives and property of all residents of the State. In light of the foregoing, the following orders are hereby issued: All Forest Reserves in the state are to be vacated by herdsmen within the next seven days with effect from today, Monday, January 18, 2021.”
