The Ekiti state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose,
on Monday signed the “Anti Grazing Bill 2016” recently passed by the
House of Assembly into law.
The bill was sponsored by the executive
after the killing of two persons by suspected herdsmen in Oke Ako
community in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
The new law criminalises grazing in some places and certain time limit in the state.
Signing the bill, Fayose said that the
new law would check cases of incessant attacks or killings of local
residents and destruction of farmlands by herdsmen and their cattle.
He said that the law would also
strengthen security in various communities across the state, adding that
anyone that fouled the law stood the risk of being treated as
terrorist.
He said, “With the signing into law of
this bill today, anyone caught grazing with arms or any weapon in Ekiti
would now be charged with terrorism and be made to face the law
according to certain sections of it.
“The same goes for those who graze in
prohibited areas or go against the time frame of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
allowed for open grazing.”
Giving an overview of the bill earlier,
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kolawole Oluwawole, said that the
assembly gave it accelerated hearing as part of its collaborative
efforts towards maintaining peace and order in the state.
According to Oluwawole, the state
government was already working with local government authorities to
allocate portions of land for grazing in their areas.
He explained that grazing must
henceforth be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on daily basis and that the
government would allot portions of land to each local government area in
that regard.
He said, “Anyone caught grazing on
portions of land or any farmland not allotted by government shall be
apprehended and made to face the law.
“Any herdsman caught with firearms and any weapons whatsoever during grazing shall be charged with terrorism.
“Any cattle confiscated shall be taken to government cattle ranch at Erifun and Iworoko Ekiti community in the state.
“Any farm crop destroyed by the
activities of any apprehended herdsman shall be estimated by
agricultural officers and the expenses of the estimate shall be borne by
the culprit.
“Any herdsman who violates any of these rules shall be imprisoned for six months without option of fine.”
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PLEASE BE POLITE