Insecurity: Ekiti Govt Vows To Penalise Unregistered Herdsmen

The Ekiti State Government has warned that stiffer penalties will be meted out to herdsmen in the state who refused to register and get the identity card in consonance with the provision of the state Anti-Grazing Law.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Olabode Adetoyi, on Thursday 18th March 2021, stated this in Ado Ekiti, the State capital, during the official commencement of registration of herdsmen and farmers in the state.

Adetoyi said registration of herders and farmers in the state, apart from being an opportunity to fish out criminal elements, will ensure security of lives and property as well increase crop food production.

He said other steps being taken by the state government to ensure lasting peace between herders and farmers included “ban on night grazing and using under-aged herders in Ekiti State.

“Part of the essence of the registration is to increase food security in Ekiti State. Food rate is just growing at 2.5 per cent, our population is increasing at 2.8 to 3 per cent, the food requirement is at 3 or 3.2 per cent.

“The essence of this now is that there is a demand supply gap and we need to close it. What is causing it is insecurity and we want to tackle it headlong in Ekiti State so that people can be able to go back to the farms and produce in higher quantity and quantity.

“In Ekiti State now, under the National Livestock Transformation Plan, we are bringing back our cattle ranch settlements at Oke Ako and Irele for whoever wants to graze their cattle. They will register there and provision will be made over there too,” he said.